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BISMARCK'S  LETTERS 
TO   HIS   WIFE 


BISMARCK'S  LETTERS 
TO  HIS  WIFE 

FROM  THE   SEAT  OF  WAR 

1870-1871 

TRANSLATED    BY 

ARMIN    HARDER 

Z-  WITH  AW  DTTBODncnOK   BT 

WALTER    LITTLEFIELD 


NEW   YORK 

D.   APPLETON   AND  COMPANY 

MCMIII 


COFTMOHT,  19W,  BT 

D.  APPLKTON  AND  COMPANY 


Publit^d,  WoTOmfrw,  J30S 


INTRODUCTION 


In  Die  Bismarck  Briefe,  originally  pub- 
lished three  years  ago  in  Berlin,  a  notable 
hiatus  appeared  which  was  widely  com- 
mented on.  In  spite  of  the  intimate  and 
generally  prevailing  domestic  air  of  the 
letters  of  the  great  Chancellor  to  his  "  liebes 
Herz,"  it  was  supposed  that  the  correspond- 
ence omitted,  which  covered  the  period  of 
the  Franco-Prussian  War,  might  have  con- 
tained observations  calculated  to  arouse 
animosity  in  official  circles  because  of  the 
writer's  frank  criticism  of  his  military  col- 
leagues, or  resentment  south  of  the  Rhine 
on  account  of  his  attitude  toward  the  French 
Government,  Emperor  and  generals,  and  his 
contempt  at  the  way  in  which  they  made 


INTRODUCTION 

war;  and  for  these  reasons  it  was  thought 
that  the  letters  written  in  1870-71  had  been 
destroyed.  Such,  however,  was  not  the  case. 
Bismarck's  communications  to  his  wife  in 
letters  and  telegrams  from  the  seat  of  war, 
except  on  one  point  which  is  worth  consid- 
ering, were  quite  inoffensive,  although  they 
betrayed  abundant  contempt  for  the  French. 
They  dealt  principally  with  the  personal 
comforts  and  discomforts  which  the  writer 
enjoyed  or  suffered  during  the  campaign,  to- 
gether with  impressions  and  observations 
concerning  the  military  manoeuvres,  the  sali- 
ent facts  of  which  have  long  since  passed  into 
history.  But  even  from  a  military  point  of 
view  they  are  still  interesting,  for  the  impres- 
sions are  those  of  a  great  man  who  was  not 
a  soldier,  but  who  had  the  confidence  of  those 
who  were  soldiers.  Possibly  because  of  their 
homely  intimacy — a  refreshingly  human  trait 
in  a  great  man — these  communications  were 
held  most  precious  by  the  Chancellor's  wife 
and  were  preserved  by  her  in  a  locked  casket 

vi 


INTRODUCTION 

apart  from  the  others.  This  casket  was  not 
opened  at  the  time  of  her  death,  and  its  con- 
tents, therefore,  did  not  figure  in  the  large 
collection.  A  year  ago  the  casket  was  found 
by  a  member  of  the  Bismarck  family,  who 
examined  the  correspondence  it  contained 
and  at  once  sent  copies  to  the  German  pub- 
lisher of  the  Bismarck  Briefe,  and  in  May 
of  this  year  a  small  supplementary  volume 
was  issued  in  Berlin,  containing  not  only  the 
casket  letters  and  despatches,  but  also  ten 
additional  epistles  written  between  1867  and 
1870,  and  1872  and  1873,  which  also,  omitted 
from  the  first  published  collection,  had  been 
issued  in  Die  Gartenlaube  of  December, 
1902.  In  all,  there  are  eighty-nine  letters 
and  telegrams. 

The  first  of  the  casket  letters  is  dated  at 
Mainz,  August  2,  1870,  on  the  very  day  that 
the  French  made  an  attack  on  Saarbrticken, 
with  three  divisions  defeated  a  single 
German  battalion,  and  proclaimed  the  result 
of  the  engagement  an  "  important  victory.'* 
vu 


INTRODUCTION 

The  Germans  then  took  the  offensive,  and 
Bismarck,  with  the  headquarters  staff,  at 
length  passed  from  German  territory  into 
French,  until,  after  the  siege  of  Metz  and  the 
capitulation  of  Sedan,  the  invaders,  on  Sep- 
tember 19,  found  themselves  before  Paris. 
The  last  letter  in  the  main  part  of  the  little 
volume  is  dated  at  Versailles,  March  5, 1871, 
two  days  after  the  evacuation  of  Paris  by 
the  Germans  and  a  fortnight  before  the  call- 
ing together  of  the  first  German  Federal 
Parliament. 

Above  all,  the  letters  reveal  a  side  of  the 
Iron  Chancellor's  character  which,  while 
typically  German,  appears  almost  in  the 
light  of  paradox  in  the  pages  of  his  biog- 
raphies. There  is  much  good-natured  irony 
over  the  trials  and  tribulations  of  soldier- 
ing, the  exigencies  of  which  deprive  the 
writer  of  many  things  quite  necessary  to 
him  in  his  official  capacity,  but  amusingly 
depreciated  by  him  in  the  close  intimacy  of 
his  writing.  At  times  a  mere  touch  is  suf- 
viii 


INTRODUCTION 

ficient;  as,  for  example,  the  post  scriptum 
to  a  letter  dated  Bar-le-Duc,  August  25: 
"  Birthday  of  the  King  of  Bavaria  and  I 
without  my  decorations! "  One  of  the  most 
charming  features  in  the  letters  is  the  rela- 
tion maintained  between  the  father  and  his 
two  sons,  Herbert  and  William,  both  of 
whom  rode  in  the  terrible  cavalry  charge 
of  Mars-la-Tour,  where  Herbert  was  shot 
through  the  hip  and  badly  wounded,  while 
his  brother,  although  thrown  from  his  horse, 
was  uninjured.  The  old  Chancellor  flutters 
about  from  one  staff  oflOicer  to  another,  even 
stopping  soldiers  on  their  march  to  inquire 
about  his  "  Knaben."  It  is  not  at  all  strange 
that  such  homely  solicitation  on  the  part  of 
the  great  man  should  arouse  some  mirth, 
even  expressed  to  his  face.  And  thus  he 
writes  from  Clermont,  August  27,  1870 :  "  I 
scented  Bill  yesterday  at  St.  M^n^hould  as 
being  well.  Did  I  tell  you  that  every  dragoon 
of  the  Third  Squadron  first  laughs  when  he 
has  to  undergo  an  examination  about  Bill 

ix 


INTRODUCTION 

by  me?  He  has  a  contagious  jollity.  May 
God  give  it  to  you  also."  Count  William,  by 
the  way,  was  six  feet  two,  and  the  heavy- 
weight of  his  regiment. 

For  Frenchmen  Bismarck  had  already  ex- 
hausted contumelious  depreciation  when  the 
supplementary  letters  were  published  last 
spring;  but  for  one  passage  alone  the  almost 
dormant  antagonism  against  him  would  pos- 
sibly not  have  been  revived.  On  the  day  be- 
fore the  evacuation  of  Paris  by  the  Germans, 
Bismarck  rode  into  the  city  as  far  as  the  Arc 
de  Triomphe.  He  was  "  recognized  every- 
where, hissed  a  little,  but,  indeed,  only  by 
very  small  boys."  Three  days  later  he  wrote, 
under  the  date  of  March  5:  "At  taps  thou- 
sands of  Parisians  followed  arm-in-arm  with 
our  soldiers,  and  at  the  *  helmet  off  for 
prayer '  everybody  took  his  hat  off  and  said, 
*  Voil^  ce  qui  nous  manque,'  and  that,  I  pre- 
sume, is  about  right." 

This  short  passage  made  all  Paris  howl 
with  rage.    "  What,  Parisians  walk  arm-in- 

X 


INTRODUCTION 

arm  with  the  enemies  of  their  country  and 
show  reverence  for  the  prayer-besotted  dis- 
ciples of  Luther?  Never!  '*  And  "  Bismarck 
le  Menteur"  became  a  familiar  headline  in 
Paris  papers.  It  was  in  vain  that  certain 
Frenchmen,  who  had  long  passed  from  un- 
der the  influence  of  "  la  revanche,"  hastened 
to  point  out  that  Bismarck's  observation, 
"  and  that,  I  presume,  is  about  right,"  did 
not  mean  that  he  acquiesced  in  the  attitude 
of  the  Parisians,  but  that  he  spoke  merely 
from  hearsay  and  that  the  passage  should 
read  in  French,  "et  cela  doit  6tre  exact," 
or,  in  English,  "  and  that  may  very  well  be 
true."  But  either  interpretation,  it  was  de- 
clared, was  a  lie  and  an  insult  to  Parisians. 
It  was  a  lie  for  him  to  say  that  he  heard  and 
saw  such  things.  It  was  an  insult  for  him 
to  imagine  that  such  things  could  be  possi- 
ble. Eye-witnesses  of  the  departure  of  the 
German  troops  from  Paris  arose  on  every 
hand  to  deny,  expostulate,  or  qualify. 
These  testimonials  are  interesting,  for, 
xi 


INTRODUCTION 

taken  together,  they  show  various  phases  of 
conduct  on  the  part  of  the  Parisians  which 
give  plausible  ground  for  Bismarck's  obser- 
vations, whatever  the  source  of  his  informa- 
tion. Some  witnesses  noted  that  the  Pa- 
risians were  grateful  to  the  Germans  for 
sending  in  provisions  after  the  capitulation; 
others  testified  that  Parisians  exhibited  un- 
feigned joy  at  the  departure  of  their  enemies, 
and  that,  in  certain  cases,  this  joy  may  have 
been  misinterpreted  as  betraying  a  spirit  of 
comradeship;  others  still,  asserted,  that 
while  Paris  maintained  a  stolid  calm  when 
the  German  vanguard  passed  out  of  the  city 
on  March  3,  the  stragglers  were  hissed,  in- 
sulted, and  even  beaten. 

It  must,  moreover,  be  remembered,  when 
considering  to-Uaj  the  anti-Gallic  sentiments 
expressed  by  Bismarck  in  the  intimacy  of 
conjugal  correspondence,  that  the  recipient 
of  his  letters  added  to  her  hatred  of  the 
French  a  certain  ferocious  bitterness  which 
was  perfectly  natural  for  her  to  possess  at 
xii 


INTRODUCTION 

that  time.  Of  her,  Bismarck  is  reported  to 
have  said  to  Prince  Albrecht,  October  29, 
1870:  "  The  Countess  just  now  is  in  very  good 
health.  Nevertheless,  she  still  sniffers  from 
her  ferocious  hatred  of  the  Gauls.  She 
would  like  to  see  every  mother's  son  of  them 
dead — even  the  children,  who,  however,  are 
not  responsible  for  such  abominable  par- 
ents." 

At  least  Bismarck  wrote  in  a  spirit  which 
was  calculated  to  please  what  was  left  of 
the  domestic  circle  that  gathered  nightly 
about  the  hearth  in  the  Schonhausen. 

Walter  Littlefield. 

New  Yoek,  Naoemher  6,  1903. 


xiU 


:^^?^^],iUH,A--  /^^z^ 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS   TO 
HIS   WIFE 


Mainz,  August  2,  '70. 
My  dear  Heart: 

We  arrived  here  safely  this  morning  at 
seven,  tired  but  well.  I  went  to  bed  at  that 
hour,  have  slept  four  hours,  and  should  be 
obliged  now  to  go  to  the  King,  if  I  had  some- 
thing to  put  on  my  back.  Having  only  one 
nightshirt  and  the  traveling  suit,  I  send 
Abeken  to  him.  Engel  has  been  so  smart  as 
to  leave  all  my  things  behind  for  the  follow- 
ing train,  which  will  arrive  at  two,  but  it  is 
just  as  likely  that  its  freight  will  stay  behind 
for  several  days  to  come.  A  bed,  several 
pillows,  dressing  coats,  and  many  other 
curious  things,  for  which  I  had  no  use  in  the 
railway  compartment,  were  punctiliously 
on  hand  for  me,  but  no  linen,  no  clothes! 

2  1 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

CarP  had  attended  to  the  provisions — of 
course  four  times  as  much  as  are  needed. 

We  drove  by  the  hour  in  sand-tempo,  lay 
quiet  by  the  hour,  all  owing  to  the  mili- 
tary trains,  as  they  barred  the  way  before 
us.  This  morning  a  beautiful  sunrise,  seen 
from  Bingerbrtick.  During  the  first  night 
every  time  I  awoke  upon  my  soft  cushions  I 
had  to  think  of  the  poor  boys  upon  their 
wooden  benches,  and  how  they  must  be  tired 
out;  I  have  not  as  yet  had  any  news  from 
them.  Bill's  birthday  I  used  yesterday  to 
start  a  little  intrigue  toward  his  being  made 
an  ensign.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  will 
succeed;  the  King  was  astonished  that  he 
was  not  yet  a  petty  officer.  It  was  sadden- 
ing that  I  had  nothing  but  white  wine  with 
soda  with  which  to  drink  his  health  in 
Hamm,  and,  to  click  glasses,  only  old  Bodel- 
schwingh;  my  other  neighbor  was  H.  M. 

Here  I  am  quartered  with  a  rich  manufac- 
turer of  champagne,  Kupferberg,  high  upon 

*  Count  Bismarck-Bohlen. 

2 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

the  Kastrich,  distant  sunny  outlook  over  the 
city  with  Rheingau,  Wiesbaden-Platte,  Rus- 
sian chapel  behind,  but  so  far  away  from 
the  King  and  all  the  others  as  though  I  lay 
in  Worms.  And  then,  not  a  shirt!  The  en- 
thusiasm of  the  masses  of  the  people  upon 
the  railway  stations  was  deafening;  too 
much  for  me  at  present.  They  should  save 
that  till  after  the  victory,  which  may  God 
give  us. 

I  asked  you  to  send  me  the  red  (generaPs) 
clothes,  not  the  infantry  uniform,  because 
for  it  I  should  have  sword  and  a  third  helmet. 
Else  I  need  a  new  white  cap  every  other  day 
and  the  leather  helmet  is  lighter  than  the 
iron  one,  which  presses  on  my  forehead.  I 
think  the  shipment  will  be  already  on  the 
way  when  this,  on  these  slow  trains,  reaches 
your  dear  hand.  From  the  enemy  nothing 
new.  Nothing  happened  either  yesterday  or 
to-day.  Saw  Cilchen^  in  Dtisseldorf,  she 
counts  on  you  in  Nauheim.    God  take  you  in 

>  Baroness  Schreckenstein. 

3 


BISMARCK'S  LETTERS 

his  care,  and  your  "  Berlin  youngster  "  and 

the  two  in  light  blue.    Let  me  know  what 

you  hear  from  them.    I  shall  write  you  what 

comes  to  me. 

Your  most  faithful 

y.B. 

2 

Mainz,  Wednesday,  8,  3,  '70. 
I  wrote  you  yesterday  by  mail;  I  hear  this 
minute  that  a  courier  is  leaving  now,  and 
send  you  this  cordial  greeting  at  the  moment 
of  sitting  down  to  table.  Nothing  has  hap- 
pened so  far,  and  I  do  not  know  yet  how  long 
E.  M.  will  stay  here.    God  be  with  you  and 

our  children. 

Your 

v.B. 

3 

Maikz,  August  5,  *70. 
My  beloved  Heart: 

Yesterday  was  the  first  fighting,  near 
Weissenburg,  and  victorious  for  us  with  the 
aid  of  God.    The  French  divisions,  Douay 

4 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

and  Ducrot,  were  thoroughly  beaten;  so  far 
800  (eight  hundred)  prisoners  and  one  piece 
brought  in.  Excepting  the  King's  own  regi- 
ment, the  Frenchmen  received  their  drub- 
bing principally  from  Poles  (Fifty-eighth), 
Hessians,  and  Bavarians,  thus  from  those 
upon  whose  assistance  they  counted.  To-day, 
as  God  wills,  the  same  developments  will 
continue  near  Sulz  and  Hagenau.  We  are 
still  here  in  Mainz;  to-morrow  or  the  day 
after  we  shall  push  forward,  when  I  hope  to 
come  in  closer  touch  with  our  boys  in  blue. 
Heretofore  I  could  not  find  out  where  the 
dragoons  were  stationed  every  day.  With 
surprise  we  read  here  to-day  in  the  French 
papers  of  a  "  battle  "  which  is  said  to  have 
taken  place  on  the  2d  near  Saarbrtick.  This 
is  the  most  laughable  disgrace  the  grrrande 
nation  has  ever  incurred!  Three  companies 
of  the  Fortieth  Regiment  and  one  squadron 
of  lancers  kept  the  whole  Napoleon  with  his 
main  army  in  respect  for  eight  days!  They 
had  orders  from  home  to  fall  back  upon  our 

5 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

line  this  side  Saarbrtick,  as  soon  as  the  ene- 
my advanced.  This,  however,  they  did  not 
do  until  three  French  divisions,  that  is  to  say, 
about  150  companies,  with  artillery  and  cav- 
alry, moved  close  upon  them,  and  with  these 
fifty  times  superior  forces  the  French  ex- 
changed shots  with  our  three  companies  dur- 
ing three  hours,  from  ten  to  one.  Leonidas  is 
a  ragamuffin  compared  with  our  fusileers.  I 
still  live  here  upon  my  Kastrich,  go  driving 
in  the  evening  and  eat,  as  a  rule,  at  home 
with  our  charming  host.  At  E.  M.^s  I  gen- 
erally decline  to  remain  on  account  of  fa- 
tigue; it  is  drafty  there  in  the  dining-room, 
and  the  high  personages  are  becoming  so 
numerous  that  my  conversational  duties  are 
not  to  be  fulfilled  without  fatigue. 

Horses  well.    God  grant  it  that  you  both 
be  likewise!   How  is  it  about  Nauheim? 

Your  most  faithful 

y.  B. 
Oppressive;  no  rain  here. 


6 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

4 

Telegram. 

Mainz,  August  5,  '70. 

Countess  Bismarck-Schonhausen,  Berlin: 

Letter  of  the  3d  received,  all  well.    Saar- 

brticken    French    invention.      Weissenburg 

truth. 

Bismarck. 

5' 

To  Count  H.  Bismarck. 

Mainz,  August  6,  '70. 

My  beloved  Boy: 
Heartfelt  thanks  for  your  letter  of  the 
day  before  yesterday,  which  arrived  to-day; 
where  this  one  will  find  you,  I  do  not  know. 
We  shall  go  to-morrow  morning  to  the  fron- 
tier together  with  the  King.  Would  that  I 
there  might  meet  the  dear  blue  color.  The 
beginning  is,  with  God's  blessing,  good;  may 
it  remain   so   to  the  end.     Four   hundred 

>  Copied  from  Prince  Bismarck's  Letters  to  his  Betrothed 
and  Wife,  page  579, 

7 


BISMARCK'S  LETTERS 

French  prisoners  passed  through  here  to- 
day from  Weissenburg  and  400  through 
Darmstadt.  The  withdrawing  murderers 
and  incendiaries  who  set  the  open  town  of 
Saarbrtick  on  fire,  like  wild  Indians,  have 
been  reached  to-day  by  Goben,  and  (Fros- 
sard's  corps)  emphatically  put  to  flight.  The 
same  will,  with  God's  help,  happen  to  the 
main  army.  From  your  mother  I  have  good 
news;  both  of  you  put  plenty  of  letters  in 
the  mail  for  her,  wherever  you  can.  I  hope 
she  will  soon  go  to  Nauheim. 

Cordial  greetings  to  Bill,  and  pray  God 
with  me  and  with  your  mother  that  he  may 
unite  us  again  happy  and  well;  above  all, 
however,  that  he  may  graciously  grant  us 
victory. 

Your  faithful  father 

V.  Bismarck. 

If  one  of  you  two  should  be  wounded  tele- 
graph me  at  the  King's  headquarters  as  soon 
as  possible.    But  not  your  mother  first. 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

6 

Telegram. 

Mautz,  August  7,  '70. 

Countess  Bismarck, 

Berlin,  Wilhelmstrasse  76: 

Received  a  letter  Just  now  from  Herbert; 

all  well. 

Count  Bismarck. 

7 

HoMBURG,  August  8,  '70. 

My  dear  Heart: 

Last  evening  we  arrived  here  from  Mainz 
by  rail.  Eigenbrod,  who  is  in  advance  with 
the  wagons,  saw  our  dragoons  near  Kaisers- 
lautern  and  tossed  them  half  a  sausage.  Pro- 
visions short,  room  worse.  I  am  lying  here 
with  Carl,  ninety  soldiers,  and  many  foot- 
men, in  a  small  house,  separated  from  all  the 
counselors  (with  and  without  titles).  It  is 
really  maddening  to  see  the  princely  onlook- 
ers take  up  all  available  space  and  compel 
Boon  and  me  to  leave  our  working  force  be- 
hind, so  that  these  sight-seeing  Royal  High- 

9 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

nesses,  with  their  servants,  horses,  and  adju- 
tants, may  find  room. 

I  do  not  understand  your  quite  unchris- 
tianlike  scolding  and  complaining  letter 
without  a  date,  which  I  received  here  yester- 
day. I  wrote  you  from  Mainz  with  my  own 
hands  three  times  and  telegraphed  twice. 
This  one  is  my  fourth  letter,  and  last  evening 
the  third  telegram  went  off  because  of  your 
letter.  Via  London  we  hear  that  they  in 
Paris  have  become  uneasy.  Our  victories 
come  to  them,  after  the  fearful  lying  and 
bragging,  of  course,  very  much  like  a  sur- 
prise. We  ourselves  here  have  difficulty  in 
learning  how  the  fighting  is  exactly  taking 
place;  we  have  about  8,000  prisoners  and 
some  forty  pieces,  without  the  six  mitrail- 
leuses. This  even  the  Frenchmen  admit,  that 
our  men  behave  like  heroes,  un  elan  irresist- 
ible, and,  withal,  constantly  up  against  steep 
and  protected  heights.  I  must  blame  them 
only  for  scorning  death  too  much,  and  just 
for  this  reason  the  poor  infantry  has  lost 
10 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

so  terribly,  especially  ofl&cers,  and  of 
them  especially  staff-officers.  In  the  rivalry 
between  Bavarians  and  Prussians,  or  be- 
tween First,  Second,  and  Third  Army 
Corps,  they  go  on  as  though  it  were  a  race 
for  fun.  The  Bavarians  behave  splendidly, 
just  like  ours.  Our  good  friend  Senfft  re- 
mained on  the  field,  I  believe  at  Weissen- 
burg.  Boon's  youngest  is  slightly  wounded 
in  the  leg.  The  cavalry  is  otherwise  less  ex- 
posed, and  is  not  suffering  the  twentieth 
part  of  the  losses  of  the  infantry,  which 
really  must  accustom  itself  to  a  manner 
less  violent  than  that  of  the  Berserkers 
when  it  throws  itself  upon  the  enemy,  for 
such  fine  blood  as  that  of  our  soldiers  is  rare 
in  the  world.  Here  is  nothing  else  but  sky 
and  Saxons  who  are  furious  that  they  can 
not  get  at  the  enemy. 
I  embrace  you  and  Marie. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 


11 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 


St.  Johann,  August  9,  70. 

Saarbrtick  is  still  standing  after  all;  it  is 
opposite  me  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
and  behind  it  the  mountains  from  which 
seven  days  ago  the  French  climbed  down  and 
shot  upon  Prussians  who  were  not  there,  and 
won  a  battle  without  adversary,  and  over 
which  three  days  ago  they  were  chased  back 
again.  I  live  with  M.  Haldy;  everything 
elegant  and  comfortable,  but  far  from  the 
King,  who  lies  yonder  in  Saarbrtick;  I  am 
to  dine  with  him  at  six,  am  quite  fatigued 
by  the  drive  from  Homburg,  and  have  ten 
despatches  in  cipher  before  me  which  I  can't 
read  as  there  is  no  cipher-reader  here. 

About  the  children,  I  have  not  been  able 

to  learn  anything  as  yet,  only  that  they  are 

stationed  in  the  neighborhood  of  Saarge- 

miind.    God  protect  them  and  you  and  the 

one  with  you. 

Your 

y.  B. 
12 


TO   HIS  WIFE 
9 

St.  Johann,  August  11. 
Only    two    lines    of    heartfelt    greetings 
through    the    courier,    on    leaving    for    St. 
Avoid.  Your 

V.  B. 

St.  Avold,  11,  Evening. 
This  I  wrote  this  morning,  put  it  in  my 
pocket  and  therefore  did  not  find  it  when  the 
army  messenger  left.  When  undressing  I 
found  it  and  add  now  that  we  all  are  well 
and  I  am  at  the  point  of  lying  down  in  the 
bed  of  M.  and  Mme.  Laity,  who,  fleeing  be- 
fore us  without  any  reason,  left  their  house 
this  morning. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

10 

Herny,  August  14,  70. 
My  Darling: 

A  few  hours  east  of  Metz  in  the  direction 

toward  Falkenberg  you  will,  perhaps,  find 

on  the  chart  the  village  where  we  are  to-day, 

8  13 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

but  not  the  many  flies  which  force  me  to 
write  with  a  shaking;  head.  I  am  here  in  a 
farmhouse  deserted  by  its  tenants;  la  voisine 
has  remained  and  regaled  me  yesterday  with 
a  fowl  which  two  hours  before  dinner,  while 
yet  alive,  had  made  my  acquaintance.  My 
good  teeth  were  unable  to  do  its  corpse  any 
harm.  I  learned,  however,  that  a  civet  of  a 
tame  rabbit  is  very  eatable  for  hungry  peo- 
ple, even  when  its  ingredients  delighted 
them  an  hour  before  by  their  lively  capers. 
Besides  that  I  eat,  like  a  healthy  person, 
fried  and  raw  bacon  with  so  much  garlic  that, 
it  seems  to  me,  my  breath  is  beginning  to 
smell  like  a  saltpeter  cellar.  All  that  agrees 
with  me  very  well,  and  I  should  be  quite  sat- 
isfied, if  I  only  could  hear  a  word  from  Bill 
and  Herbert.  The  dragoons  are  always  from 
six  to  eight  miles*  ahead  of  us;  to-day  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Mosel,  having  passed 
through  between  Metz  and  Nancy.  May  God 
save  the  dear  boys  from  sickness  and  wounds. 

'  German  miles  are  referred  to  throughout  these  letters. 

14 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

Of  the  latter  there  is  always  less  danger  in 
the  cavalry.  The  poor  infantry  loses  terribly, 
because  no  troop  has  ever  before  acted  like  it. 
At  Worth  8,000  men  lost;  not  counting  3,000 
missing  and  scattered,  the  greater  number 
of  which  will  probably  show  up  again,  as 
the  French  hardly  took  any  prisoners  away 
upon  their  retreat  when  they  were  hasten- 
ing in  disordered  detachments  of  thousands 
and  mostly  without  arms,  and  all  sorts  of 
troops,  infantry  and  cavalry,  mixed  up.  The 
Fifth  Division  lost  at  Spichern  just  100 
officers,  of  which  nineteen  were  killed  im- 
mediately. I  just  now  saw  a  battalion  of  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  (Fifth  Division)  that  had 
only  three  officers  left;  a  sergeant  acted  as 
adjutant.  A  corporal  said  to  me : "  If  we  had 
held  the  position  the  French  had,  the  devil 
himself  couldn't  have  got  us  down;  I  wonder 
that  we  ever  got  it  ourselves."  It  is  a  pity 
to  lose  so  many  of  these  heroic  souls;  it  can 
not  be  gainsaid,  however,  that  the  moral  im- 
pression upon  the  French  army  is  so  over- 
15 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

powering  that  it  will  perhaps  save  us  much 
blood  in  the  future.  We  can't  induce  them 
any  more  to  join  battle  with  us,  and  have 
been  vainly  looking  for  them  these  three 
days.  Steinmetz  makes  himself  unpopular 
by  his  obstinacy,  even  dangerous;  he  is  very 
near  an  impeachment;  only  the  King  opposes 
it,  all  the  generals  demand  it.  The  Crown 
Prince  leaves  us  without  any  news.  The 
Bavarian  reports  are  printed  in  Munich,  and 
from  there  the  Berlin  papers  get  them,  and 
in  these  we  read,  in  spite  of  the  slow  mails, 
what  happens  at  the  Third  Army  Corps, 
earlier  than  in  the  reports  from  there  to  the 
King.  All  advancements  and  decorations 
are  delayed  by  this,  and  the  French  descrip- 
tions arrive  everywhere  a  fortnight  earlier 
than  ours.  Our  people  behave  very  well  in 
their  quarters. 

My  watch  I  suppose  you  have  received.    It 

stopped  suddenly  in  the  night;  perhaps  I 

broke  the  spring  in  winding  it  up.    I  beg  you 

to  send  me  another  key  for  it,  one  with  a 

16 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

cross-piece  or  leaf,  which  one  can  grasp  be- 
tween the  fingers  in  winding  and  hold  firmly 
without  violence.  I  bought  myself  a  thick 
one  of  silver  for  ten  francs.  I  also  send  you 
twenty-three  frederic  d'ors;  they  pass  here, 
notwithstanding,  only  for  napoleons.  Re- 
ceived cigars,  but  I  still  should  like  some 
small  good  ones  for  myself.  Iron  crosses  not 
yet  distributed,  probably  not  ready.  It  is 
perhaps  better  so,  for  after  a  few  have  been 
seen  with  them  it  will  be  absolutely  impos- 
sible to  hold  the  others  back  and  prevent 
them  from  sticking  their  heads  into  the 
mouths  of  the  French  cannons;  they  are, 
anyhow,  like  Berserkers.  The  French  think 
our  soldiers  are  so  accustomed  to  maneuver- 
shooting  that  they  entirely  forget  that  they 
are  here  shot  at  with  bullets!  A  beautiful 
recognition  of  gallantry. 

Now  farewell,  my  heart.  Embrace  our 
daughter  for  me  and  pray  with  me  for  our 
sons.  Your 

y.  B. 
17 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

11 

Telegram. 

Herny,  Augmt  15, 1870. 

Yesterday  very  sanguinary  battle  before 

Metz.     Our  military  authorities  now  have 

the  impression  that  this  is  the  beginning  of 

the  end  of  French  resistance,  and  believe 

that  we  shall  be  shortly  before  Paris. 

Bismarck. 

12 
Telegram. 

Sent  Frankfort-on-Main,  Augtist  16, 1870,  7.30  p.m. 
Frau  Countess  von  Bismarck: 

Herbert  and  Bill  have  been  seen  this  morn- 
ing, very  well. 

VON  Bismarck. 

13 

PONT-A-MOUSSON,  AuQUSt  16. 

My  Darling: 

To  be  sure  I  sent  you  a  telegram  which 

tells  you  that  Carl  saw  a  dragoon  to-day, 

who  had  left  Herbert  and  Bill  in  full  health 

early  this  morning,  four  miles  from  here,  and 

18 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

had  seen  them  both  himself.  But  as  it  is  very 

doubtful  whether  telegrams  can  leave  at  all, 

because  they  cut  our  wires  daily,  I  write  it 

to  you  again.    The  Third  and  Tenth  Corps 

are  fighting  just  now  at  Gorze,  three  miles 

north  from  here,  against  the  French,  who  are 

falling  back  from  Metz.    The  latter,  a  force 

of  four  divisions,  are  being  pressed  back  upon 

Thionville.     If   this   succeeds,   the   French 

army  will  be  so  scattered  that  it  can  not 

be  gathered  again,  and  the  campaign  will  be 

practically  over,  in  case  the  Lord  should  not 

unmistakably  intervene  in  behalf  of  France, 

which,  I  am  confident,  will  not  happen.    The 

people  here  must  take  me  for  a  bloodhound. 

The  old  women,  when  they  hear  my  name, 

fall  upon  their  knees  and  beg  me  for  their 

lives.    Attila  was  a  lamb  compared  with  me. 

Farewell,  my  heart.    The  letter  must  be 

mailed. 

Your  most  faithful 

y.  B. 


19 


BISMAUCK'S   LETTERS. 

14 

Telegram. 

Sent  PoNT-1-MoussoN,  Augtist  17,  1870,  8  p.  m. 

Frau  Countess  Bismarck: 

I  have  just  spoken  with  Herbert  and  Bill; 

Bill's  horse  killed,  he  himself  quite  well. 

Herbert  harmless  shot  through  the  thigh, 

bone  not  hurt.    He  will  be  taken  to  me  this 

evening.     Then  I  shall  direct  him  toward 

Nauheim,  that  you  at  last  will  go  there! 

Phipp^  well. 

Bismarck. 

15 

PoNT-i-MoussoN,  August  17. 
My  Darling: 

The  main  thing  I  telegraphed  you.  We 
were  waked  up  this  morning  at  three  o'clock, 
drove  and  rode  four  miles;  there  I  heard  ac- 
cidentally that  First  Guard  Dragoons  had 
many  losses.  Rode  two  miles  across  the  coun- 
try with  much  questioning  and  little  danger; 

'  Eldest  son  of  the  brother  and  lieutenant  of  reserre  of  the 
First  Guard  Dragoon  Regiment.     D.  1894. 

20 


TO   HIS  WIFE 

found  Herbert  with  250  wounded  in  a  ten* 
ant's  farmhouse,  Bill  visiting  him  under  pre- 
text of  getting  himself  a  new  horse.  He 
really  found  a  lean  hack.  Herbert  lay  be- 
side Szerdahely  (Second  Guard  Dragoons) 
and  one  whose  name  I  can  not  remember; 
looked  as  ever,  only  two  holes  in  left  thigh,  in 
and  out  shot;  wound  well  dressed.  I  ordered 
my  carriage,  remained  four  hours  waiting  for 
it,  and  when  it  came  we  found  that  sitting  up 
hurt  him,  and  the  heat  too  great.  I  let  him 
have  Kriiger,  pressed  into  service  a  wagon  in 
which  he  could  lie  down  and  in  which  he  will 
arrive  here  some  time  during  the  cool  night. 
He  also  had  two  grazing  shots  through  his 
clothes,  of  which  one  glanced  off  my  black 
wooden  watch,  smashing  it.  I  took  it  with 
me  and  left  him  my  ten-franc  watch,  which 
I  bought  in  St.  Avoid,  instead.  The  black 
one  I  shall  bring  you  and  will  buy  myself 
a  new  one  here.  Bill's  horse  was  shot  down 
in  the  attack,  so  that  he  turned  a  somer- 
sault, and  at  first  was  thought  dead.  But 
21 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

he  is  fat  and  lusty,  looked  very  smeary. 
The  campaign  is  now  over  for  Herbert,  and 
he,  if  God  send  no  other  misfortune,  under 
cover  against  further  trouble,  for  it  will  take 
him  at  least  a  few  weeks  to  heal  up.  I  will 
send  him  by  rail  direct  to  Germany.  How 
would  it  be,  if  you  nursed  him  in  Nauheim? 
If  he  does  not  get  the  cross,  I  will  never 
again  bear  orders.  Wesdehlen,  Westorp, 
Reuss,  Kleist,  remained  on  the  field,  Auers- 
wald  shot  through  the  abdomen,  severe;  he 
also  lay  there.  The  three  squadrons,  who 
attacked,  lost  twelve  officers,  men  not  yet 
counted.  Every  one  a  hero!  The  Third 
Hussars,  Thirteenth  and  Sixteenth  Lancers, 
and  my  poor  yellow  Cuirassiers  have  lost,  at 
the  preposterous  and  impossible  cavalry  at- 
tacks which  Voigt-Rheetz  commanded,  one- 
third  of  their  men,  and  all  more  than  half  of 
the  officers.  I  will  not  be  bitter  after  the 
Lord  has  so  graciously  preserved  us  our  two 
boys,  but  the  command  of  the  First  and  Sec- 
ond Army  Corps  is  unskilful  in  the  employ- 
22 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

ment  of  the  death-scorning  bravery  of  our 
men,  fist  alone,  without  head;  and  yet  we 
conquer.  But  we  can  not  spare  so  many, 
especially  officers,  at  the  rate  we  are  losing 
them,  if  we  yet  want  to  reach  Paris.  It  is 
wasting  the  best  soldiers  of  Europe.  Moltke 
is  good,  but  Steinmetz  no  commander.  We 
fought  yesterday  against  a  superior  force  of 
more  than  double  our  number,  against  a  bet- 
ter position,  better  arms,  and  gallant  ene- 
mies, and  yet  we  conquered. 

Farewell,    my    beloved    heart;    embrace 

Marie,  and  fear  nothing. 

Your 

V.  B. 

Revolver  good,  horses  well,  but  tired, 
deadly  tired;  in  the  saddle  from  three  to 
eight  in  the  evening. 

16 
Rezonvillb,  Atigust  19,  Morning. 
Slept  well  in  camp.  Guard  Dragoons  yes- 
terday not  to  the  front,  thus  everything  as 
23 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

before;  Herbert,  I  hope,  arrived  at  Pont-k- 
Mousson  last  evening.  I  saw  him  in  Maria- 
ville  at  about  noon,  without  fever,  suppura- 
tion beginning.  Yesterday  from  three  in  the 
morning  to  nine  in  the  evening  on  horseback. 
French  completely  beaten.     Now  we  shall 

investigate  closer. 

Your 

V.  B. 

To  Countess  Bismabck-Schonhausbn,  Berlin. 

17 

PoNT-1-MoussoN,  AugiLst  19,  1870. 
I  have  just  got  back  to  headquarters  at 
Pont-k-Mousson  after  an  absence  of  two  days, 
very  tired,  but  well  otherwise;  I  do  not  write 
myself,  but  dictate,  because  I  am  eating  mut- 
ton and  potatoes  at  present.  Herbert  is  lying 
above  in  my  room;  is  cheerful,  and  the  best 
proof  of  his  being  well  is  his  smoking  reso- 
lutely, for  which  he  had  no  appetite  yester- 
day when  I  saw  him  in  Mariaville.  I  got 
back  this  morning,  after  our  departure  yes- 
24 


TO  HIS   WIFE 

terday  morning  at  three  o'clock;  my  letter 
of  yesterday,  written  at  Rezonville,  you  will 
receive  only  now  at  the  same  time  with  this 
one.  Herbert's  departure  for  Germany  does 
not  depend  upon  his  condition, — for  as  far 
as  that  goes  he  could  leave  to-day, — but  upon 
the  finishing  of  a  short  stretch  of  railway, 
which  was  interrupted.  Therefore  go,  as 
soon  as  you  can,  to  Nauheim,  where,  by  the 
way,  telegraph  and  railway  are  as  good  as 
in  Berlin. 

Now  ^  I  have  finished  eating.  I  was  very 
hungry,  as  I  had  not  eaten  anything  warm 
for  two  days  and  have  had  the  past  three 
days  only  a  few  hours'  time  for  sleeping; 
feel  excellent;  ride  five  or  six  miles  on  Uncle 
Tom,  who  is  the  most  uncomfortable  of  all 
horses;  drink  coffee  and  smoke  six  cigars  a 
day.  May  God  save  you  and  change  your 
headaches  to  a  merry  good  health.  Two  let- 
ters from  you.  Those  of  17th  and  16th  I 
read,  the  others  I  shall  read  directly.    Many 

*  From  here  on  written  by  himself. 

25 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

of  the  Guards  were  left  on  the  field;  much 
too  gallant,  the  splendid  men,  to  live.  It 
moves  me  to  pity,  almost  more  than  I  re- 
joice over  the  victory. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

18 
P(ont)-1-Mou8Son,  AugiLst  20. 
Herbert  is  lying  beside  me;  has  slept  well 
just  now  for  four  hours;  is  cheerful  and  will 
be  able  to  depart  in  a  few  days.  Just  go  to 
Nauheim  and  order  quarters.  Cordial  con- 
gratulations to  the  beloved  child  for  to- 
morrow. 

V.  B. 

19 

CoMMERCY,  August  23. 

This  morning,  taken  leave  from  Herbert 
in  Pont-a-Mousson.  Kryn,  who  dresses  his 
wound,  goes  with  him  to-morrow  by  rail  via 
Nancy,  Mannheim  to  Nauheim,  where  he 
hopes  to  find  you.  He  will  travel  two  days 
and  thus  arrive  at  station  Nauheim  on 
26 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

Thursday  or  Friday.  He  was  very  well  and 
in  good  mood.  I  had  to  get  him  to-day  a  pair 
of  trousers,  of  which  he  did  not  possess  any. 
All  goes  well  with  me,  always  on  the  go  and 
in  good  health.    Cordial  greetings  Marie. 

Your 
V.  B. 

20 

Bar-lb-Duc,  August  24. 

My  dear  Heart: 

We  are  advancing  with  celerity.  To-day 
noon  I  gave  up  pleasant  quarters  in  Com- 
mercy,  with  lovable  old  ladies,  tearful  wives 
and  mothers  of  generals,  who  all  want 
peace.  Before  us  there  is  no  enemy;  Chalons 
and  farther  on  already  occupied  by  us.  We 
shall  either  fight  before  Paris  or  not  at  all. 
Napoleon  is  said  to  have  been  in  Rheims  yes- 
terday. I  do  not  consider  it  impossible  that 
he  begins  to  carry  himself  with  the  idea  that 
he  will  have  to  employ  his  army  more  against 
the  Parisians  than  against  us,  to  make  peace 
with  us,  and,  supported  by  the  army,  to  con- 
27 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

tinue  to  tyrannize  the  rest  of  France.  I 
should  not  object,  but  one  can  not  judge  at 
this  time  whether  it  be  true.  The  French 
main  army  is  locked  up  in  Metz  by  Prince 
Frederick  Charles  with  20,000  men;  it  can 
no  longer  be  100,000  strong.  In  addition 
there  are  about  20,000  wounded  in  Metz 
down  with  typhus  and  gangrene;  how  much 
of  provisions  they  have  and  for  how  long 
the  future  will  tell.  When  they  kill  the 
horses,  they  will  begin  to  think  of  capitu- 
lating. 

I  left  Herbert  well  yesterday;  Fritz,^  who 
met  me  in  Commercy,  saw  him  this  morning 
at  five  o'clock,  when  he  expected  to  be  taken 
to  the  railroad  at  seven;  the  nurses  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John  were  all  ready  for  the 
transport.  When  you  receive  this  letter  you 
will  probably  have  him  with  you,  as  I  heard 
that  you  would  depart  yesterday.  I  am,  by 
the  aid  of  God,  well,  beyond  expectation.  I 
eat,  drink,  and  sleep  just  like  a  healthy  per- 

'  General  Count  Bismarck-Bohlen. 

28 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

son.    May  God  give  you  and  Marie  the  same, 

and  a  good  cure  in  Nauheim.    We  shall  stay 

over  to-morrow  at  least. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

21 

Telegram. 

Mainz,  August  25, 1870,  3.50  p.  m. 

Countess  von  Bismarck, 
Bath  Nauheim: 
His  Lordship  the  Count,  your  son,  will  ar- 
rive there  this  morning  at  about  seven  or 
eight  o'clock;  expects  attendants  and  men. 

Dr.  Frey.* 

22 

Bar-le-Duc,  August  25. 

Dearest  Heart: 

We  march  from  here  to-morrow  to  St. 
Mdn^hould,  in  the  direction  toward  Rheims; 
shall  be  there  without  telegraph  or  railroad, 
consequently  news  longer  on  the  way,  and 

*  Swiss  Volunteer  Army  Surgeon. 

*  29 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

therefore  I  write  once  more  from  here,  where 
I  should  like  to  stay  longer  on  account  of 
good  beds,  wine,  and  fare.  I  have  to  an- 
nounce only  that  all  is  well  with  me,  and 
that  we,  in  consequence  of  the  victories  at 
Metz,  are  advancing  six  miles  almost  every 
day,  without  seeing  anything  of  the  enemy. 
His  main  army  remains  locked  up  in  Metz 
by  Prince  Frederick  Charles,  and  we  are  yet 
to  see  whether  we  shall  find  something  in 
Rheims,  which  has  meanwhile  gotten  on  its 
legs.    Napoleon  is  reported  to  be  there. 

Herbert  will  probably  have  left  Pont-k- 
Mousson  yesterday  morning;  he  will  make 
the  journey  in  about  two  to  four  days;  It 
depends  upon  how  he  will  stand  it.  So  he 
is,  perhaps,  with  you  by  the  time  this  letter 
reaches  you.  Bill  is  now  with  the  Dragoons 
of  the  Royal  Guard  a  few  miles  to  the  left  of 
us.  You  need  not  worry  about  him.  A  regi- 
ment that  has  suffered  as  the  Dragoons  did 
will  not  be  led  into  the  fire  again  without 
pressing  need.  I  have  repeatedly  searched 
30 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

for  information  about  Btilow,^  and  as  I  could 
not  learn  anything  about  him,  I  suppose  he 
is  well  and  with  his  regiment.  Itzenplitz  is 
said — and  I  am  sorry  for  it — to  have  been 
left  on  the  field;  but  do  not  speak  of  it,  as 
it  is  very  hard  to  learn  anything  positive;  it 
might  be  an  error.  I  am  immeasurably 
sorry  for  the  old  man,  if  it  should  be  true. 
Lehndorf  told  it  to  me  to-day.  The  regi- 
mental reports  come  in  sooner  at  home  than 
here.  But  whoever  is  not  reported  dead,  is, 
as  a  rule,  alive  and  unwounded.  Good-by, 
with  all  my  heart ;  drink  and  bathe  in  quiet, 
trust  to  God,  who  shielded  our  children  in 
the  very  jaws  of  death,  and  greet  my  beloved 

Marie. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

Birthday  of  the  King  of  Bavaria,  and  I 
without  my  decorations! 

^Lieutenant  of  the  Second  Guard  Dragoons,  second  son  of 
the  later  Secretary  of  State. 


31 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 
23 

Clermont-en-Argonne,  AugiLst  27. 
My  beloved  Heart: 

We  thought  to  find  MacMahon  not  before 
we  get  to  Chalons;  he  avoided  us  and  escaped 
to  Rheims.  We  intended  to  look  for  him 
there,  but  heard  in  time  that  he  tried  to 
press  forward  via  Verdun  toward  Metz,  to 
help  liberate  the  French  main  army  under 
Bazaine,  locked  up  there.  He  cut  a  hook, 
as  they  say  in  hunting,  and  we,  in  pursuit, 
tried  to  cut  him  off,  in  order  to  force  him 
to  stand  and  fight.  MacMahon's  troops  are 
of  much  less  capability  than  Bazaine's;  there 
are  many  reserves  of  which  a  squadron  of 
our  Lancers  caught  900  yesterday.  The 
above  you  may  communicate  to  anybody  you 
please,  even  to  the  newspapers.  We  are  ly- 
ing here  in  a  small  hole,  to  be  found  east  of 
Verdun.  I,  with  the  schoolmaster;  place  of 
sleeping  on  the  floor;  a  straw  chair,  a  small 
pinewood  table  that  serves  as  washstand, 
32 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

desk,  and  dining-table.  Provisions  hard  to 
get.  The  people  have  nothing  left;  I  have 
now  once  more  to  consider  floor,  bacon, 
and  ammunition  bread  as  remedies  whose 
eflScacy  I  had  never  recognized  before.  Am 
doing  very  well  on  it.  Herbert  is  probably 
with  you;  yesterday  I  received  news  that  he 
had  passed  Nancy  by  railway,  accompanied 
by  Colonel  Canitz.^  The  duration  of  his 
Journey  depended  upon  its  effect  upon  his 
wound.  I  scented  Bill  yesterday  at  St. 
M^nehould  as  being  well.  Did  I  tell  you  that 
every  dragoon  of  the  Third  Squadron  first 
laughs  when  he  has  to  undergo  an  examina- 
tion about  Bill  by  me?  He  has  a  contagious 
jollity.  May  God  give  it  to  you  also  and 
Marie  and  a  good  effect  from  the  water. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

Field  post  much  worse  than  '66! 

*  The  wounded  commander  of  the  Second  Guards. 


33 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 
24 

Clermont,  August  28. 

Still  lying  on  the  floor  at  the  schoolmas- 
ter's, otherwise  well.  Bill  seen  well  yester- 
day by  an  officer;  he  had  marched  through 
here  an  hour  before  we  got  to  this  place.  I 
at  last  learned  yesterday  about  young  Bil- 
low,^ that  he  is  unwounded  and  well,  tele- 
graphed to  Thile^  yesterday.  I  have  not 
had  a  letter  from  you  from  Nauheim.  The 
last  one,  dated  Tuesday  from  Berlin,  I  re- 
ceived yesterday  through  army  messenger. 
I  hope  you  are  nursing  your  old  son  there  by 
this  time.  Hans  Arnim  ^  wellj  saw  youngest 
red  Boitze*  yesterday,  who  eaw  him. 

I  have  written  since  seven  in  the  morning, 
it  is  now  three.  I  must  have  a  little  walk 
before  I  go  to  eat  at  his  Majesty's  at  four. 

^  See  former  note,  p.  31. 

'  Secretary  of  State  for  Foreign  Affairs. 

'  Son  of  the  sister  of  the  Federal  Chancellor, 

*  Count  Arnim-Boitzenburg. 

34 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

Heartfelt  greetings  to  both  the  children. 
Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

Bavarians  have  been  marching  through 
here  the  past  four  hours;  blow  false. 

25 

Clermont,  Augtist  28,  70. 
My  beloved  Heart: 

I  sent  you  to-day  a  pencil-letter  hurriedly 
by  army  messenger.  Now,  in  the  evening,  I 
have  time,  and  my  thoughts  turn  to  you.  I 
am  writing  in  advance  because  I  do  not  know 
whether  there  will  be  time  for  it  in  the  next 
few  days.  I  hope  that  we  shall  break  up  to- 
morrow; we  are  only  expecting  certain  re- 
ports upon  which  depends  the  direction  we 
are  to  take.  It  is  not  very  nice  here  with  only 
one  rush  chair.  General  Staff  with  night- 
service  below  me,  offices  with  ditto  above  me, 
twenty  people  who  live  in  this  thin,  sound- 
ing house,   five  screaming   children   beside 

me,  and  not  even  a .    One  has 

35 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

to  get  accustomed,  in  the  face  of  the  public, 
to  go  about  it  shamelessly  as  best  possible, 
and  to  induce  the  guards,  at  least,  not  to  stand 
there  with  presented  arms.  Pardon  these 
details,  but  it  is  to  me  the  most  unpleasant 
of  the  martial  deprivations.  Since  the  19th 
I  have  not  observed  any  warlike  adventures 
near  me;  some  political  work,  a  few  Saxon 
cavalry  skirmishes,  marching  and  counter- 
marching, with  which  we  try  to  make  the 
French  stand,  that  is  to  say  MacMahon.  The 
main  army,  Bazaine's,  is  locked  up  in  Metz, 
and  we  have  to  prevent  the  other  under  Mac- 
Mahon from  liberating  it.  Hence  the  march 
from  Bar-le-Duc  to  this  place,  and  perhaps 
still  farther  north.  These  strategical  opera- 
tions are  of  minor  immediate  interest  to  you 
out  there  than  the  battles,  but  they  prepare 
the  fate  of  the  latter.  This  rainy  weather 
affects  the  infantry  boots  badly,  and  this  is 
just  as  important  a  question  as  a  battle;  in 
the  marching  capacity  also,  the  Germans 
prove  themselves  superior  to  the  French,  who 

36 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

are  known  for  their  light-footedness;  and  we 
are  not  only  provided  with  better  foot-wear 
than  the  adversary,  but  also  have  better  legs 
sticking  in  it.  I  must  now  to  the  King  to 
tea,  in  order  to  help  him  live  through  the 
long  evening;  to-morrow  I  shall  add  a  few 
lines,  provided  we  do  not  start  too  early.  I 
shall  learn  that  at  the  King's. 

Grandpre,  29. 
This  morning  there  was  no  time  for 
writing;  we  started  at  eight  to  meet  Mac- 
Mahon,  but  when  we  were  at  breakfast  half- 
way to  Varennes  (where  they  stopped  Louis 
XVI  seventy-nine  years  ago),  it  was  report- 
ed that  the  bird  had  flown  away,  withdraw- 
ing northwest.  Well,  I  suppose  we  have  to 
follow  them,  until  the  sea  at  Boulogne  or 
Dieppe  puts  a  limit  to  their  retreat.  It  is 
tiresome  to  run  after  these  Frenchmen,  in 
spite  of  the  charming  landscape.  We  can 
not  afford  to  get  out  of  touch  with  them,  lest 
they  help  the  real  army  (Bazaine)  locked  up 
37 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

in  Metz  to  escape.  This  hunting  is  for  us 
something  like  a  game  of  blind  man's  buff,  as 
we  continually  have  to  find  out  by  way  of 
feeling  through  the  cavalry  what  has  become 
of  the  adversary.  What  really  has  become 
of  my  watch?  A  policeman  lent  me  his, 
which  does  not  repeat,  and  then  I  think  every 
time  I  awake  from  the  noise  that  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  go  to  sleep  again.  It  is  a 
little  more  promising  out  here  than  in  Cler- 
mont; I  have  a  bedstead  at  least,  and  no 
more  bottle-necks  for  candlesticks. 

Meanwhile  I  ate  with  the  King,  then 
drank  some  native  sparkling  wine  which 
is  not  served  at  table,  with  our  gentlemen 
whom  I  found,  on  my  return,  still  at  table, 
and  now  shall  finish  with  cordial  greetings 
to  both  the  children.  Bill  still  not  ensign, 
because  of  no  proposals  from  the  regiment 
having  been  returned. 

Your  most  faithful 

y.  B. 


38 


TO   HIS  WIFE 

26 

Vendresse,  Augtist  31,  70. 
My  dear  Heart: 

Yesterday  at  last  we  touched  them,  a  little 
south  of  Sedan,  which  you  will  find  situated 
on  the  Maas  [Meuse],  upon  any  map.  They 
either  did  not  think  us  so  near  or  believed 
themselves  stronger.  In  short,  we  overtook 
them,  south  of  Beaumont.  Justav  ^  with  the 
Fourth  Corps  and  our  brave  Twenty-sixth 
and  Sixty-sixth  ran  over  two  French  divi- 
sions, one  after  the  other.  Beside  them  the 
Eighty-sixth  (Holstein)  and  Thirty-first,  the 
Nordhauser  Chasseurs,  on  the  left  wing  the 
Saxons,  then  the  Bavarians  and  Wtirtem- 
bergers.  Justav  did  the  hardest  work  with 
the  good  Schonhausers.  The  chase  extend- 
ed over  two  miles;  sometimes  they  made  a 
stand  again  and  rolled  with  their  mitrail- 
leuses, as  though  an  engine  lets  out  steam. 
So  far  eleven  of  these  not  very  effective 
murder-instruments  have  been  reported  as 

^  General  von  Alvensleben. 

39 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

captured  and  some  twenty  pieces,  about 
7,000  prisoners,  of  which,  however,  con- 
tinuously new  columns  by  the  hundred  are 
brought  in.  I  saw  over  1,000  of  them  at 
Beaumont  upon  one  spot,  penned  up  in  a 
quarry,  among  them  a  priest  who  is  said 
to  have  shot  upon  our  wounded.  I  had  his 
priestly  coat  at  least  quickly  taken  off  of 
him,  and,  if  charges  proved,  he  will  join  the 
order  of  the  cordiliers, — but  around  the  neck. 
Our  good  cousin  of  Briest,  the  captain  of  the 
Twenty-sixth,  I  hear  has  remained  on  the 
field,  badly  wounded  he  will  be  at  any  rate; 
the  latter  is  also  true  of  the  fat  colonel  who 
so  long  commanded  the  Twenty-sixth,  and 
two  years  ago  attended  the  family  gather- 
ing. A  son  of  the  road  guard  at  Fischbeck 
greeted  me,  lightly  wounded  in  his  arm.  I 
left  him  what  money  I  had  with  me.  Of  the 
end  of  the  pursuit  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Maas  and  below  Sedan  we  have  no  news  as 
yet.  But  15,000  men  the  French  will  surely 
have  lost,  and  the  armies  of  MacMahon  and 
40 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

*  Failly  are  completely  routed.  Napoleon, 
father  and  son,  were  likewise  with  the 
troops;  we  saw  the  suite  from  afar  through 
our  field-glasses.  The  dragoons  were  not  in 
the  fight.  I  am  physically  as  well  as  I  have 
been  for  a  long  time.  With  regard  to  busi- 
ness, yet  uncertain.  Gorchakoff  is  less  plia- 
ble than  his  Emperor. 
Cordial  greetings  to  the  children. 

Your 
V.  B. 

Vendresse,  September  3,  70. 

My  dear  Heart: 

The  day  before  yesterday  before  daybreak 
I  left  my  quarters  here,  am  returning  to-day, 
and  meantime  witnessed  the  great  battle  of 
Sedan  on  the  1st,  in  which  we  took  nearly 
30,000  prisoners  and  threw  the  rest  of  the 
French  army,  which  we  had  been  chasing 
since  the  time  at  Bar-le-Duc,  into  the  fortress 

'  Published  in  Fiirst  Bismarcks  Briefe  an  seine  Braut  und 
Gattin,  p.  579. 

41 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

where  it,  together  with  the  Emperor,  had  to 
surrender.  Yesterday  morning  at  five  o'clock, 
after  I  had  been  negotiating  with  Moltke  and 
the  French  generals  till  one  o'clock  in  the 
morning  with  regard  to  the  capitulation  to 
be  effected.  General  Reille,  with  whom  I  am 
acquainted,  woke  me  to  tell  me  that  Na- 
poleon wished  to  speak  to  me.  I  rode  un- 
washed and  without  breakfast  toward  Se- 
dan, found  the  Emperor  stopping  on  the 
road  before  Sedan  in  an  open  carriage  with 
three  adjutants  and  three  on  horseback  be- 
side it.  I  dismounted,  greeted  him  just  as 
politely  as  at  the  Tuileries,  and  asked  his 
commands.  He  wished  to  see  the  King;  I 
told  him  according  to  truth  that  his  Majesty 
had  his  quarters  three  miles  away  at  the 
place  where  I  am  now  writing.  Upon  Na- 
poleon's asking  whither  he  should  betake 
himself,  I  offered  him,  as  I  was  unfamiliar 
with  the  country,  my  quarters  at  Donchery, 
a  small  place  on  the  Maas  near  by  Sedan; 
he  accepted,  and  drove  escorted  by  his  six 
42 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

Frenchmen,  myself  and  Carl,  who  had  fol- 
lowed me  meanwhile,  through  the  lonely 
morning  toward  our  side.  Shortly  before 
the  place  he  began  to  regret  on  account  of 
a  possible  crowd  of  people,  and  he  asked  me 
whether  he  could  stop  at  a  lonely  workman's 
house  on  the  way.  I  had  it  examined  by 
Carl,  who  reported  it  to  be  poor  and  unclean. 
Wimporte,  said  Napoleon,  and  I  climbed  with 
him  a  shaky,  narrow  flight  of  stairs.  In  a 
room  ten  feet  square,  with  a  pine  table  and 
two  rush  chairs,  we  sat  one  hour;  the  others 
remained  down-stairs.  A  powerful  contrast 
to  our  last  meeting  of  '67  at  the  Tuileries! 
Our  conversation  was  constrained,  for  I  did 
not  wish  to  touch  upon  things  which  must 
painfully  affect  the  man,  thrown  down  by 
God's  powerful  hand.  I  had  ofiftcers  brought 
from  town  by  Carl  and  requested  Moltke  to 
come.  We  then  sent  one  of  the  first  upon  a 
reconnoitering  tour  and  discovered  a  small 
castle  with  park  one-half  mile  away  at  Fres- 
nois.  Thither  I  accompanied  him  with  an 
43 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

escort,  brought  up  in  the  meantime,  of  the 
Body-Cuirassier  Regiment,  and  there  we  con- 
cluded the  capitulation  with  the  French 
General-in-Chief  Wimpffen,  by  force  of  which 
from  40,000  to  60,000  Frenchmen— I  don't 
know  yet  exactly  how  many — with  all  that 
they  carry  about  them,  become  our  pris- 
oners. Yesterday  and  the  day  before  cost 
France  100,000  men  and  an  emperor.  The 
latter  left  this  morning  with  all  his  cour- 
tiers, horses,  and  equipages  for  Wilhelms- 
hohe,  near  Kassel. 

It  is  a  world-historical  event,  a  victory  for 
which  we  will  thank  God  our  Lord  in  humble- 
ness, and  one  which  decides  the  war,  though 
we  have  to  continue  the  latter  against  the 
monarchless  France.  I  must  close.  With 
heartfelt  joy  I  learned  to-day  from  your  and 
Marie's  letters  of  Herbert's  arrival.  I  spoke 
to  Bill  yesterday,  as  telegraphed  before,  and 
embraced  him,  before  his  Majesty,  bending 
down  from  my  horse  while  he  stood  drawn 
up  straight  in  line.     He  is  very  well  and 


TO   HIS  WIFE 

cheerful.  I  saw  Hans  and  Fritz  Carl,  both 
Btilows  with  the  Second  Guard  Dragoons, 
well  and  fresh. 

Good-by,  my  heart;  greet  the  children. 

Your 
y.  B. 
28 

Vendresse,  September  3. 
My  Heart: 

As  there  is  another  courier  going  to-day, 
I  will  send  you  two  more  words,  through 
him,  that  you  may  know  that  we  shall  de- 
part to-morrow  for  Vouziers,  in  the  direction 
toward  Kheims.  MacMahon's  army,  which' 
we  attacked  at  Beaumont-Mouzon  (Justav) 
four  days  ago,  amounted  then  to  120,000 
men.  Of  it  nothing  has  been  left.  About 
30,000  may  have  been  wounded  or  killed  in 
fights,  some  have  been  dispersed  to  Belgium 
and  then  disarmed,  the  rest  captured.  At 
the  same  time  the  enemy  was  beaten  by  the 
First  and  Ninth  Corps  at  Metz  on  the  31st 
and  Ist,  in  two  attempts  to  break  through, 
5  4& 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

and  locked  up  again  in  Metz.  Sixty  to  80 
thousand  French  soldiers  are  reported  to  be 
there  yet,  the  only  remainder  of  the  whole 
army  with  which  the  war  was  begun.  It  is 
hoped  they  also  will  soon  be  obliged  to  ca- 
pitulate. The  lies  of  the  Parisian  journals 
about  the  everlasting  victories  will  probably 
then  cease.  I  mounted  my  horse  yesterday 
morning  at  six,  dismounted  at  midnight, 
after  having  ridden  ten  to  eleven  miles, 
twice  wet  and  dry  again,  and  nothing  warm 
to  eat  the  last  three  days.  When  I,  at  said 
midnight,  happened  across  a  pot-roast,  I  ate 
of  it  like  a  wolf,  then  slept  fast  for  six 
hours.  And  now  I  feel  as  well  as  a  fish  in 
water,  and,  what  is  still  more  wonderful,  so 
does  Roschen,  who  had  received  no  feed  or 
water  during  eighteen  hours  and  had  made 
those  eleven  miles  under  me  on  bad  roads,  in 
darkness  and  rain;  she  ate  immediately  with 
good  appetite.  Josef,^  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
has  a  sort  of  dysentery;  I  am  afraid  he 

'  Footman. 

46 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

will  be  obliged  to  stay  behind  somewhere. 

I  have  a  hussar  orderly  meanwhile  in  his 

place.    Napoleon  will  sleep  to-night  in  Neuf- 

ch^teau  in  Belgium. 

Good  night,  many  greetings. 

Your 

V.  B. 
29 

Telegram. 

Sent  PoNT-i-Mou8SON,  September  5,  70, 11.20  a.  m. 

Countess  Bismarck,  Nauheim: 

I  have  seen  Bill,  well  and  cheery  in  camp 

before  Sedan  on  the  2d. 

Bismarck. 

30 

Rheims,  September  5. 

Just  dismounted.  I  hear  that  a  courier  is 
ready  to  leave,  and  write  in  haste  that  I  and 
others  are  well.  I  wrote  you  from  Don- 
chery  that  I  saw  Bill  well  in  camp  last  Fri- 
day. We  shall  probably  stay  here  in  Rheims 
for  a  few  days.    Many  greetings. 

Your 
y.  B. 
'47 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 
31 

Rheims,  September  6. 
Only  one  word,  my  heart,  that  I  am  well. 
Now  that  the  arms  are  resting  for  a  few 
days  the  paper  business  is  rising  over  my 
head  so  that  I  have  not  a  moment's  time  left. 
I  had  a  very  satisfactory  interview  with  the 
Crown  Prince  in  Donchery  to-day.  In  Paris, 
republic ;  at  least  provisional  government  by 
republicans.  It  is  all  sausage  to  me.* 
Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

*We  get  there  just  the  same! 

32 » 

To  Count  H.  Bismarck. 

Rheims,  September  7,  70. 
My  beloved  Boy: 

The  King  told  me  to-day  at  table  that  you 
were  appointed  an  officer,  Bill  an  ensign. 

'  Published  in  Fiirst  Bismarcks  Briefe  an  seine  Braut  und 
Gattin,  p.  233. 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

You  have  one  of  the  appointed  ones  ahead 
of  you  on  the  list,  his  name  is  Behr,  I  be- 
lieve; then  you,  then  Dohna  and  a  number  of 
others.  I  am  glad  that  you  have  become 
this  on  the  field,  and  after  so  brilliant  a 
deed  of  the  regiment  as  that  of  the  16th. 
May  God  give  you  many  years  to  remember 
it  with  thankfulness  for  his  grace  that  pre- 
served you  both  in  this  blood-bath.  The 
other  ministers  have  not  been  so  fortunate 
with  their  sons;  about  Itzenplitz,  you  know, 
Roon's  good  long  Bombshell  was  shot 
through  the  abdomen  in  his  battery  on  the 
field,  rifle  bullet,  died  on  the  3d,  in  the  even- 
ing. My  poor  old  Roon  is  really  ill  with 
grief  and  is  in  bed;  he  told  me  that  Leon- 
hardt  also  had  lost  a  son.  Few  families  at 
home  will  be  without  mourning.  In  Paris 
the  republic  has  been  declared;  whether  it 
will  stand,  how  it  will  develop,  for  that  we 
have  to  wait.  My  wish  would  be,  that  we 
let  the  people  there  stew  in  their  own  gravy 
a  while  and  that  we  settle  down  in  domestic 
49 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

style  in  the  conquered  departments,  before 
we  go  ahead.  If  we  do  it  too  soon,  we  shall 
prevent  them  from  quarreling  among  them- 
selves. Internal  peace  can  not  last  long 
with  this  quite  socialistic  crowd  at  the  head. 
Above  all  I  would  that  our  reserves  arrived 
soon.  The  regiments  have  not  yet  even  re- 
ceived recruits  for  the  losses  suffered  at 
Worth,  and  at  home  everything  is  ready,  I 
suppose.  There  is  much  antiquated  red  tape 
in  these  matters  and  much  scribbling.  Ba- 
zaine  is  making  frequent  sorties  out  of  Metz, 
one  to-day;  about  the  particulars  of  to-day 
we  are  yet  in  expectancy,  as  the  wire  at  Cler- 
mont has  been  cut  again.  Soon,  however, 
he  will  be  obliged  to  capitulate  like  Sedan. 
On  the  1st  and  2d  we  took  about  90,000  pris- 
oners, sixty  generals  and  about  6,000  officers, 
OP  people  in  officer's  rank.  Strassburg 
has  been  willing  to  capitulate  if  free  retreat 
be  granted,  but  we  do  not  wish  to  let  them 
have  the  16,000  or  18,000  men  that  are  in 
there.  May  God  protect  you,  my  old  boy, 
50 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

and  give  you  soon  your  leg  again.    Cordial 
greetings. 

Your  faithful  father, 

V.  B. 

33 

Rheims,  Saturday,  the  10th  of  September,  70. 
The  courier  must  be  off,  while  I  am  in  con- 
ference with  General  v.  Boyen  and  President 
Delbrtick,  which  I  can  not  interrupt.  I  am 
therefore  able  only  to  answer  the  letter,  re- 
ceived to-day  through  courier,  with  the  as- 
surance that  I  am  well  and  happy,  and  that 
everything  is  going  well.  I  have  just  re- 
turned with  the  King  from  a  visit  to  the 
former  much-talked-about  French  camp  at 
Chalons,  where  we  found  the  splendidly  ap- 
pointed apartments  of  the  Emperor  and  Em- 
press devastated  by  the  populace.  I  call 
attention  to  a  report  from  me  about  my 
meeting  with  the  Emperor  of  the  2d  of 
September  which  will  appear  in  the  Staats- 
Anzeiger. 

51 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

With^  thanks  to  Abeken,  who  wrote  so 
far,  and  cordial  greetings. 

Your 
V.  B. 

34 

Rheims,  September  12,  70. 

My  beloved  Heart: 

To-day  two  months  ago  I  left  Varzin  for 
Berlin;  what  a  piece  of  history  has  inter- 
vened since,  and  what  has  become  of  the 
Spanish  Succession,  about  which  we  had  to 
cipher  and  decipher  so  much  with  Bucher! 
I  just  remembered  it  in  writing  the  date. 
Your  last  letter  of  the  3d  is  lying  before  me, 
received  yesterday.  Blixen-Finecke  is  my 
guest  from  Copenhagen  and  Sweden,  former- 
ly married  to  a  Rumpenheimer  princess,  who 
presented  you  with  Guava  rum,  apples,  and 
other  things  in  Frankfort.  Be  kind  to  the 
Rabenaus.  They  are  good  people  and  polit- 
ical friends.    Commend  me  to  Emmi  Below 

'  In  his  own  handwriting  from  here  on. 

52 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

when  you  see  her.  An  enclosure  from  Eisen- 
decher  was  not  in  your  letter.  The  one  from 
Westphal  I  answered;  regret  the  loss 
through  the  rain.  I  am  sincerely  sorry  about 
Schreckenstein,  but  don't  tell  him  that,  but 
speak  only  of  my  sympathy  and  my  joy  over 
his  brave  endurance.  Beps^  is  doing  well, 
so  I  hear,  the  gallant  blade!  He  is,  I  hear, 
on  the  road  to  speedy  recovery.  Herbert's 
wound  is  surely  mitrailleuse,  else  the  bullets 
would  not  have  set  so  close  upon  him  and 
the  horse,  and  it  would  heal  quicker.  The 
mitrailleuse  bullets  all  seem  to  have  a  poi- 
sonous admixture  that  at  first  blackens  and 
irritates  the  wound.  How  Bill  is  to-day  I  do 
not  know,  but  he  has  not  had  to  do  any  fight- 
ing since  Sedan.  We  have  been  here  eight 
days  in  order  to  give  the  great  army  time  to 
execute  its  long  wheeling  evolutions  from 
Sedan  to  Paris.  About  the  day  after  to-mor- 
row we  shall  proceed.  I  do  not  believe  that 
we  shall  have  any  battles  near  or  in  Paris. 

*  Lieatenant-Colonel  von  Puttkammer,  Second  Guards. 

53 


BISMARCK'S  LETTERS 

The  diplomatic  mail  has  piled  up  again  here 
during  the  martial  rest,  the  dammed-up  ink- 
brook  has  poured  itself  out  over  me,  false 
doves  of  peace  buzz  around  and  coo  at  me 
hypocritically,  but  above  all  the  administra- 
tive organization  causes  me  much  friction, 
on  account  of  the  incredible  pig-headedness 
and  departmental  jealousy  of  the  military, 
especially  in  the  General  Staff,  the  Post, 
Telegraph,  and  Quartermaster's  affairs.  If 
I  had  to  keep  house  with  such  departmental 
confusion  in  my  civil  affairs,  I  should  have 
exploded  long  ago  like  a  grenade.  But  here 
nobody  cares  whether  the  whole  suffers  or 
not,  every  one  does  what  he  is  ordered  to 
do,  and,  about  what  he  is  not  ordered  to  do, 
he  consoles  himself  like  the  boy  for  whom 
his  father  did  not  buy  any  gloves.  Before 
the  enemy  we  are  nothing  but  heroes,  but  at 
our  writing-tables  we  are  like  the  famous 
rat  king,  only  grown  together  by  our  pig- 
tails. Hatzfeld  and  Carl  are  just  coming 
from  Chalons,  where  they  searched  the  pre- 
54 


TO   HIS  WIFE 

fecture.  Paul  ^  behaves  very  well,  bears 
everything  that  comes  along  with  equanim- 
ity, is  always  obliging,  and  a  more  useful 
young  man  than  one  would  have  been  led  to 
believe.  Cordial  greetings  to  the  children, 
Schrecks  and  Cilchen,  and  bathe  like  a  good 
child  and  breathe  the  strengthening  morn- 
ing air.  Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

(Enclosed  was  found  the  following  slip  by 
the  hand  of  the  Countess  Bismarck,  with  the 
marginal  notes  by  the  hand  of  the  Chancel- 
lor): 

I  would  that  Carl  kindly  inform  me  of  Bill- 
chen's  (little  Billy's)  address,  as  I  do  not 
know  it  at  present.*    And  please: 

Is  it  settled  that  the  first  condition  of 
peace  is:  eternal  remaining  of  L(ouis) 
N(apoleon)  upon  the  throne  of  the  French?? 

*It  changes  every  day;  I  do  not  know  it 
myself  to-day.  The  troops  are  on  the  ad- 
vance, you  know. 

>  Count  Hatzfeld. 

55 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 
35 

Meatjx,  September  18,  70. 
My  beloved  Heart: 

If  I  do  not  write  so  industriously  now  as 
formerly,  do  not  believe  that  I  think  less 
often  of  you;  it  is  business  that  is  growing 
above  my  head,  since  the  peace;  not  doves, 
but  vultures,  are  beginning  to  hack  at  me, 
and  the  administration  of  the  occupied 
stretches  of  land  is  swelling  the  stream  of 
ink  that  is  ever  flowing  toward  me.  In  spite 
of  it  I  found  time  yesterday,  when  I  heard 
that  the  Guard  Cavalry  was  encamped  in  the 
neighborhood,  to  ride  across  the  country  and 
to  look  up  our  young  shoot  of  an  ensign  and 
to  find  him  finally  in  Montg^,  two  miles 
northwest  from  here.  I  brought  him  cigars 
and  cognac,  found  him  well,  strong,  and 
grown  almost  slender  but  not  slim.  Philipp 
is  here  to-day;  he  has  the  Cross,  and  I  de- 
clined his  Majesty's  invitation  to  dine  with 
my  nephew.  Bill's  adventure  of  the  16th  is 
56 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

not  quite  as  I  wrote  before.  His  horse  was 
not  shot  under  him,  but  stumbled  fifty  paces 
before  the  hostile  square  over  another  one, 
shot  before  him.  Bill  on  his  feet  again  led 
his  horse  away  by  the  bridle  in  a  shower  of 
bullets,  under  God's  protection,  but  not  be- 
fore he  had  put  a  wounded  dragoon  that  had 
fallen  beside  him  into  his  (Bill's)  own  saddle. 
Neither  he  on  foot  nor  his  comrade  on  horse- 
back  received  another  of  all  the  bullets  that 
were  sent  after  them,  but  the  horse  so  many 
that  it  fell  dead  after  Bill  had  led  it  with  his 
saved  comrade  out  of  the  fire.  He  showed 
himself  intrepid  and  a  good  fellow.  I  thank 
God  that  he  let  me  live  to  experience  this 
joy  over  both  boys,  and  yet  preserved  them 
to  us.  His  graciousness,  I  hope,  will  rest 
upon  them  and  us  also  in  the  future.  Kiss 
and  give  my  regards  to  the  Lieutenant  and 
his  sister. 

Your  most  faithful 

y.  B. 


57 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

36 

FERRifeRES,  September  21. 

My  Darling: 

I  am  sitting  here  under  the  portrait  of  old 
Rothschild  and  his  Lady:  am  well,  so  is 
Bill,  but  can  write  only  in  flying  haste. 
Negotiations  of  all  sorts  hold  me  by  my  coat- 
tails  as  Jews  the  broker  in  the  market,  and 
the  courier  must  leave  in  a  minute.  We  go 
hungry  because  H.  M.  has  forbidden  forag- 
ing for  headquarters,  and  there  is  nothing 

to  buy.    Cordial  greetings. 

Your 

V.  B. 

To  Count  H.  Bismarck. 

FerriJires,  September  23,  70. 

To-day  eight  years  ago,  methinks,  I  be- 
came Minister. 
My  beloved  Boy: 

I  received,  to-day,  two  letters  from  your 
mother  of  the  15th  and  16th,  from  which  I 

'  Published  in  the  sixth  volume  of  the  Bismarck  Jahrbach, 
p.  234. 

58 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

gather  with  grief  that  your  wound  is  not 
doing  well.  You  have  had  a  hard  year  of 
physical  sufferings,  but  in  spite  of  all  I 
thankfully  praise  the  Lord's  protection,  that 
he  let  you,  as  it  is,  survive  the  ride  of  the 
regiment  of  the  16th  of  August,  for  it  was 
not  granted  to  many  to  tell  that  they  had 
been  there.  With  God's  help  your  leg  will 
not  be  stiff,  but  the  flexibility  will  be  for  a 
long  time  somewhat  rusty,  the  physicians 
say;  the  tearing  of  the  muscles  was  too 
great,  the  renewal  of  tissue  and  its  learning 
how  to  move  will  progress  slowly.  Roon's 
wound  was  a  lighter  one;  in  spite  of  it  we 
shall,  as  God  will,  yet  have  many  a  ride  to- 
gether through  the  forest  of  Varzin.  No 
more  riding  here,  the  Crown  Prince  wishes 
to  let  you  know.  He  was  with  me  when  I 
received  the  letters,  and  to  whom  I  read  the 
maternal  lamentations.  What  there  is  left 
here  to  do,  if  there  is  anything  else  but  starv- 
ing them  out,  will  be  attended  to  by  the  in- 
fantry and  artillery. 

59 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

That  I  visited  Bill  at  Meaux  in  quarters 
and  found  him  well,  you  at  home  will  prob- 
ably know  by  this  time.  I  received  the  let- 
ters addressed  to  him,  and  forwarded  them; 
also  received  the  one  from  Malle.  The 
offense  with  regard  to  Wilhelmshohe  I  un- 
derstand; kitchen,  stable,  and  liveries  were 
sent  from  Berlin  against  the  King's  wishes, 
and  Napoleon  thereupon  quickly  dismissed 
and  sold  his  own,  in  order  to  save.  A  well- 
treated  Napoleon,  however,  will  be  more  use- 
ful to  us,  and  that  is  the  only  and  most  im- 
portant thing  to  me.  Vengeance  is  God's. 
The  Frenchmen  must  remain  in  the  dark, 
whether  they  will  get  him  back  or  not;  that 
will  improve  their  quarrels.  They  had  al- 
ready begun  night  before  last  to  hit  each 
other  in  the  streets  of  Paris  with  artillery. 
It  is  not  our  duty  to  pacify  them  against  us. 
Tell  Mama  that  I  agree  with  her  about  the 
advancement  of  money  to  the  Mesendorfer 
village  magistrate  and  beg  not  to  remind 
him  of  the  loan. 

60 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

So  far  I  have  three  times  negotiated  here 
by  the  hour  with  the  French  (Favre  accom- 
panied, very  meekly,  by  Ring  and  Hall),  but 
they  still  get  the  gripes  so  severely  about 
Alsace  that  we  had  to  break  off.  They  be- 
lieve they  will  be  able  to  pay  five  thousand 
millions  of  francs  and  seem  to  be  ready,  if  we 
let  them  keep  Strassburg.  But  I  told  them 
we  would  speak  later  about  the  money;  first 
fix  the  German  frontier  and  make  it  tight. 
For  as  soon  as  they  should  get  strong  enough 
they  would  attack  us  again,  I  said,  which 
they  denied  under  the  most  pompous  protes- 
tations of  peace.  All  that  has  happened  be- 
fore. But  what  has  not  yet  happened  is  your 
quick  and  complete  recovery,  which  I  wish 
you,  my  heart's  own  boy,  and  for  which  I 
pray  to  God,  and  with  thousand  greetings  to 
Mama  and  Marie. 

Your  faithful  father, 

V.  B. 


et 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 
38 

Ferrieres,  September  27. 

My  dear  Heart: 

I  have  had  great  joy,  first,  over  Herbert's 
lead-pencil  letter,  for  which  I  cordially  thank 
the  old  boy,  and  then,  to-day,  over  the  letter 
from  the  Swiss  doctor,  the  tenor  of  which 
was  so  satisfying,  but  showed  me  also  how 
dangerous  the  situation  had  been  a  fortnight 
ago.  You  probably  experienced  genuine 
fear,  remembering  Bonn,  my  darling,  and 
kept  silent  so  bravely  toward  me.  Worry 
came  to  me  during  the  nights,  as  it  was,  but 
I  kept  myself  quite  nerved,  in  which  I  hardly 
should  have  succeeded  if  I  had  received 
worse  news.  I  almost  become  uneasy  now, 
after  all  is  over,  as  is  your  habit,  but  will 
not  spoil  myself  the  joyous  gratitude  to  God. 
Malle  telegraphs  much  worried  about  Hans. 
I  immediately  sent  out  Leberstrom  *  to  find 
out  where  he  is  lying  and  whether  he  is  well. 

*  Mounted  policeman. 

62 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

He  can  not  be  back  before  to-morrow.    Five 

miles  from  here  he  will  only  learn  where  the 

regiment  is  located.     At  the  same  time  I 

shall  hear  from  Bill,  about  whom  I  received 

good  news  the  day  before  yesterday.    He  has 

now  taken  his  horse  from  me,  after  I  have 

nursed  it  back  to  health.    Cordial  greeting 

to  his  brother  and  sister. 

Your 
V.  B. 

39 

Ferrierbs,  October  1,  70. 

My  dear  Heart: 

For  two  months  we  have  been  lying  now 
in  the  field,  and  I  nearly  a  fortnight  in  Old 
Rothschild's  green  damask;  this  latter  part 
of  the  adventure  commences  to  have  its 
length;  my  existence  is  very  monotonous; 
much  scribbling  about  German,  Prussian, 
and  French  business;  great  heat  during 
the  day,  nights  cooler.  Very  inconveniently, 
my  free  time  mostly  coincides  with  the  mid- 
day heat,  when  I  sit,  more  than  walk,  for 
63 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

exercise.  In  getting  up  early  I  do  not  suc- 
ceed easily,  and  therefore  my  day  is  short. 
Yesterday  we  celebrated  her  M(ajesty)'s 
birthday  with  congratulations  at  ten  in  the 
morning,  then  a  sleeked-up  dinner,  with  prin- 
ces and  Decorations.  That  sort  of  thing  is 
wearing,  because  I  have  to  talk  carefully 
with  the  gentlemen,  and  politely.  Three  days 
ago  I  shot  a  few  pheasants;  but  the  thing 
was  unsatisfactory,  too  small  a  rifle  with 
short  butt-end  and  only  nine  cartridges  to  be 
found;  shot  also  too  small.  Otherwise  they, 
that  is  to  say  birds,  are  here  in  abundance. 
In  a  few  days  we  are  to  remove  to  Versailles. 
A  few  French  made  a  sortie  yesterday  out  of 
Paris,  attacked  the  Sixth  Corps,  lost  600  pris- 
oners and  then  asked  for  an  armistice  to  bury 
their  dead,  which  was  granted  for  two  hours. 
They  in  Metz  will  probably  make  another 
sortie  in  these  days,  as  they  are  building 
bridges  over  the  Mosel.  We  have  time  and 
are  looking  about  for  winter  quarters,  and 
then  I  hope  to  find  time  to  visit  you.  Re- 
64 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

ceived  good  news  from  Bill  yesterday.  Both 
the  good  boys  ought  to  have  the  Cross,  but 
likewise  every  dragoon  who  was  in  it  at  the 
16th  of  August.  After  Phipp  has  received 
it,  who  deserves  it  as  well  as  anybody  and 
received  it  through  the  officers'  vote,  there 
is  little  hope  for  our  poor  boys,  because  the 
name  would  be  too  frequent  on  the  list. 
Phipp  is,  without  that,  put  to  my  account  by 
people  who  show  that  they  do  not  know  bet- 
ter, when  they  congratulate  me;  and  I  my- 
self wear  it  certainly  unmerited,  but  can  not 
give  it  back  to  the  King,  I  am  sure.  The  fat 
colonel,  if  he  is  alive,  and  the  captain  of 
Briest  probably  have  it  also.  I  should  like 
to  give  mine  to  one  of  the  boys  if  I  could. 

Cordial  greetings. 

Your 

V.  B. 

Versailles,  October  8,  70. 
My  Darling: 

If  I  am  not  any  more  the  industrious  cor- 
respondent of  the  first  weeks,  be  not  angry 
65 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

with  me.  The  ink-wave  of  business  has  over- 
taken me  upon  my  journey,  and  pours  over 
me  so  that  I  hate  the  well  from  which  it 
springs,  and  have  little  time  left  to  let  you 
have  that  which  belongs  to  you.  Your  letter 
of  the  2d  I  received  to-day;  I  learned  from  it 
with  much  grief  through  what  anxiety  you 
have  passed  on  account  of  Herbert.  After 
these  troubles  we  will  not  embitter  our 
gratefulness  to  God  for  his  gracious  protec- 
tion by  complaining  over  trifles.  It  is  a  great 
thing  to  have  two  sound  sons  with  all  four 
limbs  left  from  that  cavalry  fight,  and,  when 
I  think  of  Bonn  and  Mars-la-Tour,  I  allow,  in 
the  hope  of  seeing  them  both  well  again  after 
the  war,  no  other  feeling  but  warm  thanks 
to  God  to  rise  in  me.  For  all  of  that,  I  have 
seen  too  many  thousands  of  corpses  and 
cripples,  and  admired  too  much  heroism  that 
dropped  in  unrecognized  modesty  into  death 
and  oblivion.  Every  one  of  the  dragoons, 
that  rode  with  our  boys,  has  earned  the 
Cross,  and  we  all  here  in  headquarters  walk 
66 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

around  with  it  without  shame  or  worry;  and 
in  the  Guard  Cavalry  the  crosses  were  not 
distributed  according  to  experience  but  ac- 
cording to  the  regiments.  For  instance,  four 
for  the  First  G(uard)  Dragoons,  as  many  for 
the  Guards  du  Corps,  who  certainly  would 
have  fought  just  as  bravely  as  the  dragoons 
if  they  only  had  been  given  the  chance,  but 
who  got  under  fire  only  at  Sedan,  had  two 
wounded  there,  and  now  decorate  these  two 
Und  two  other  brave  men  with  their  four 
crosses.  It  is  little  the  King's  fault;  he  does 
according  to  the  application  of  the  division 
(Goltz),  and  the  dragoons  had  nobody  to  ap- 
ply for  them,  because  their  staff  officers  and 
colonels  were  dead.  I  for  my  part  can  not 
demand  anything  for  my  sons;  they  both 
have  earned  it,  without  doubt.  But  now 
enough  of  it.  My  telegram  of  the  3d  about 
Bill  being  well,  I  presume  you  have  received. 
He  surprised  me  in  bed  on  the  2d,  dressed  in 
Blumenthal's  uniform  and  somebody  else's 
trousers.  To  that  he  hung  Carl's  reserve 
67 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

cartouche,  assumed  my  general's  helmet,  in- 
correct only  on  the  top,  and  thus  I  took  him 
to  church,  where  he  reported  to  his  Majesty, 
who  did  not  say  anything  about  the  outfit. 
At  table  we  drank  Sec,  bought  from  Roths- 
child's cellar,  until  your  son  had  a  red  saddle 
upon  his  nose,  and  then  he  rode  again  with 
Phipp  via  Lagny  and  Claye  back  to  his  quar- 
ters three  miles  away,  not  without  having 
taken  my  gold  out  of  my  vest  pocket  and  two 
pairs  of  gloves;  also  provided  with  cognac 
and  cigars.  The  following  day  Gerhard, 
sent  from  Rheims,  and  Dachroden  and 
Jagow,  who  announced  Bill's  happy  return, 
ate  with  us.  Lehndorf  is  still  lame,  through 
a  fall  in  Clermont,  five  weeks  ago,  but 
is  in  good  humor  with  all  his  suffer- 
ing. He  can  walk  again,  on  a  stick,  how- 
ever. The  weather  has  changed  to-day  to 
rain,  but  has  become  warmer  than  it  used  to 
be  during  those  sunny  weeks,  from  five  in 
the  evening  to  eight  in  the  morning.  I  fled 
the  botheration  to-day,  in  order  to  gallop 
68 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

Roschen  for  an  hour  in  the  soft  and  quiet 
autumn  air  through  Louis  XIV  long  and 
straight  park  avenues,  through  rustling  foli- 
age and  cut  hedges,  passing  by  quiet  mirror- 
like ponds  and  marble  gods,  and  hearing 
nothing  more  human  than  Joseph's  rattling 
cavalry  sabre;  all  to  give  way  to  homesick- 
ness, which  the  falling  leaves  and  the  soli- 
tude in  strange  lands  bring  about,  with 
childish  memories  of  clipped  hedges  which 
are  no  more.  This  pleasure  I  shall  probably 
give  myself  daily  in  the  deserted  royal  gar- 
den, rain  or  shine,  to  escape  the  peacemaking 
diplomatists.  The  letters,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
can  not  be  escaped.  The  ones  from  Berlin 
are  often  more  annoying  than  those  from 
abroad, — elections  for  the  Diet  and  Papal 
complaints,  German  constitution,  and  per- 
sonal quarrels  in  Alsace-Lorraine  or  Rheims, 
where  the  Grand  Duke  of  Schwerin  is  now 
governor  and  Gerhard  with  him  Russia  be- 
haves very  amiably;  England,  except  for  the 
trade  in  arms,  not  so  bad;  Beust  uncertain 
69 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

as  ever,  and  our  American  friends  do  not 
exactly  know,  now  that  France  has  become 
a  republic,  with  which  side  of  their  faces 
they  should  smile  more  benignantly.  They 
love  us  just  as  much  as  ever,  but  republic! 
They  are  unable  now  to  hate  the  Frenchman. 
The  Badeners  who  are  on  their  way  to  us 
from  Strassburg  cut  down  about  1,000  guer- 
rillas, at  Eaon-l'Etape  on  the  Meurthe,  and 
Bazaine  moved  with  his  whole  force  out  of 
Metz  toward  the  north,  but  was  thrown  into 
the  place  again,  losing  from  5,000  to  6,000 
men.  We  lost  800  men  in  the  affair;  now  our 
men,  there  as  well  as  here,  stand  behind 
breastworks,  and  the  Frenchmen  have  got 
to  come  to  them  across  a  plain,  and  so  lose 
more.  All  the  ladies  here,  where  I  have  seen 
the  first  woman  again  in  two  months,  dress 
in  black,  be  it  for  national  or  family  mourn- 
ing. There  are,  indeed,  probably  more  here 
than  with  us  that  have  reason  for  mourning. 
I  enjoyed  Herbert's  pencil-letter  very  much, 
and  thank  him  sincerely,  although  I  am  sorry 
70 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

that  his  poor  leg  can't  as  yet  carry  him. 
Cordial  greetings  to  him  and  to  my  dear 
Marie;  also  express  my  sympathy  and  my 
wishes  to  Schreck,^  and  kiss  Cilchen  heartily 
for  me. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

41 

Versailles,  October  20,  70. 

21.  I  lost  one  day  which  I  have  not  yet  found. 

My  dear  Heart: 

I  am  quite  conscience-stricken  by  my  ir- 
regularity in  writing;  you  must  put  a  few 
letters  of  August,  when  business  had  not  yet 
gotten  hold  of  me,  to  the  account  of  the  pres- 
ent letterless  time.  I  am  every  day  a  few 
hours  short,  and  from  to-morrow  on  it  will  be 
still  worse,  as  the  Ministers  of  the  South 
German  States  will  arrive  to  sit  in  council 
over  the  new  1,000-year  Empire.     I   post- 

^  Major  von  Schreckenstein,  of  the  King's  Hussar  Regiment, 
who  lay  sick  in  Nauheim.    D.  1875. 

71 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

poned  it  every  day  till  evening,  and  was  then 
so  tired  that  I  thought  there  would  be  time 
when  I  had  finished  sleeping;  then  in  the 
morning  the  pile  of  telegrams  is  there  again. 
This  noon  I  was  just  ready  to  begin  when  the 
alarm  signals  were  given;  sortie  from  Mont 
Val^rien,  four  hours  on  horseback;  heard 
much  gun-firing  and  saw  grenades  burst  in  a 
distance  of  sure  range;  back  hungry,  and 
now  after  dinner  so  much  to  read  and  write 
again,  and  to  discuss  by  way  of  mouth,  that 
it  will  be  soon  twelve,  and  I  commence  to 
flirt  with  my  bed.  I  telegraphed  you  in  in- 
stalments that  everything  is  all  right;  there- 
fore, until  to-morrow. 

22d.  I  sleep  well,  but  never  enough.  Yes- 
terday came  your  letter  of  the  18th;  you 
are  so  industrious  that  I  am  ashamed  of  my- 
self, but  it  is,  indeed,  the  only  handwriting 
which  gives  me  pleasure,  when  jt  comes,  and 
also  that  from  the  children,  of  course.  Thank 
Herbert  for  his  letter. 

As  far  as  this  I  had  got  this  morning,  and 
72 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

now  it  is  again  midnight.  Delbriick,  Ben- 
nigsen,  King,  papers,  reading  and  writing 
telegrams  and  despatches,  and  the  gentle- 
men of  the  army  make  my  business  terribly 
hard  for  me.  They  snatch  it  unto  them- 
selves, spoil  it,  and  I  am  the  one  who  is  re- 
sponsible for  it  all  afterward. 

23d  I  cut  off  what  I  wrote  in  midnight 
wrath,  as  the  mail  certainly  sometimes  falls 
into  the  enemy's  hands,  and  then  my  com- 
plaints might  become  public  accusations. 
To-day,  Sunday  morning,  I  will  not  return  to 
this  theme  anyhow. 

It  is  raining  autumn-like,  not  very  cold, 
but  unpleasant  enough  for  camping.  Has 
Bill  undervests  and  things  of  that  sort?  Give 
Herbert  the  money  which  he  wants  for  his 
outfit,  and  for  a  good  horse.  It  is  a  question, 
though,  whether  he  would  not  buy  better 
here;  sometimes  at  least  it  has  been  done. 
About  Bill's  necessities  in  the  way  of  outfit  I 
have  heard  nothing.  He  has  one  horse,  one  he 
gets  furnished,  and  all  the  rest  he  will  have 
73 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

ordered  in  Berlin  on  tick.  Ask  him  about  it 
when  you  write  him,  that  you  may  pay  the 
bill.  The  people,  I  suppose,  have  urgent  need 
for  ready  money  at  present,  the  tailors,  etc. 
Presumably  this  will  last  yet  awhile  before 
Paris.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  generals 
of  the  staff  had  different  intentions  formerly 
or  what,  but  the  siege  guns  are  not  here,  and 
before  November,  probably,  we  shall  not  put 
a  shot  upon  the  fortifications.  On  the  other 
hand,  I  expect  to-day  and  to-morrow  many 
Ministers  from  Bavaria,  Wtirtemberg,  Ba- 
den, Hessen,  Saxony,  in  addition  to  French- 
men of  all  parties.  Where  the  time  is  to  be 
found  for  them,  besides  all  the  other  torment- 
ors that  are  here  already,  is  certainly  a 
matter  of  conjecture.  I  beg  Herbert  to  be 
careful  about  his  riding  and  not  to  feel  well 
too  soon.  The  wound  was  too  serious 
for  that.  His  regiment  is  lying  quiet  in 
Villette,  near  Mitry,  drilling  and  riding  re- 
mountings,  on  rainy  days.  There  is  nothing 
to  do  for  the  cavalry,  at  present,  excepting 
74 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

occasional  patrols.  My  cordial  greetings  to 
him  and  Marie.  I  can  not  keep  the  courier 
any  longer.  Good-by.  May  God  take  care 
of  you  all.  Yquj. 

V.  B. 

42 

Telegram. 

Versailles,  October  22,  70. 

Countess  Bismarck-Schonhausen,  Berlin: 

Both  letters  up  to  the  18th  received;  all 

well,  much  work. 

Bismarck. 

43 

Telegram. 

Sent  Versailles,  October  27,  70,  3.30  p.  m. 
Countess  Bismarck: 

Metz  capitulated  to-day,  150,000  prisoners, 
among  them  4,000  officers  and  20,000  wound- 
ed.   Here  all  well. 

V.  Bismarck. 

44 

Versailles,  October  28-29. 
My  Darling: 

It  is  indeed  past  twelve  and  I  have  just 

ended  my  early-started  discussions,  useful 

75 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

and  silly  ones.  I  also  sent  you  a  telegram 
from  Metz  yesterday,  but  as  I  shall  not  get 
up  so  early  to-morrow  as  when  the  courier 
leaves,  I  must  to-day,  late  as  it  is,  put  my 
indignation  on  paper  about  the  idea  that  had 
been  brought  to  you  and  printed  in  many 
papers,  namely,  that  I  hindered  the  play  of 
our  artillery  against  Paris  and  thus  was  the 
cause  of  the  prolongation  of  the  war.  Weeks 
ago  I  hoped,  every  morning,  to  be  awakened 
by  the  cannonade.  Over  200  are  planted  al- 
ready, but  they  do  not  shoot,  and  are  not 
even  to  take  Paris  as  the  target  but  only  a 
few  forts.  There  is  an  intrigue  hanging  over 
the  whole  thing,  contrived  by  women,  arch- 
bishops, and  savants.  Well-known  influ- 
ences in  high  quarters  are  said  to  be  at  play, 
that  the  laudations  from  abroad  and  the  in- 
cense of  hollow  phrases  should  not  suffer. 
Everybody  complains  of  obstacles  of  an 
anonymous  nature,  and  says  the  transports 
of  artillery  are  being  held  back  on  the  rail- 
roads, that  they  may  not  arrive  in  time.  An- 
76 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

other  scolds  the  want  of  earlier  prepara- 
tions. A  third  says  that  there  was  not  suffi- 
cient ammunition.  A  fourth,  the  armament 
incomplete.  A  fifth,  that  everything  was 
there  except  the  order  to  shoot.  With  all 
that,  the  men  are  freezing  and  falling  sick, 
the  war  dragging  on,  the  neutrals  are  mixing 
themselves  up  with  what  concerns  us  only, 
because  they  think  time  is  getting  long,  and 
France  is  arming  herself  with  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  guns  from  England  and  Amer- 
ica. All  this  I  am  preaching  every  day,  and 
then  the  people  insist  that  I  am  the  culprit 
in  this  dragging  on  of  the  war,  which  will  be 
the  death  of  many  an  honest  soldier,  only  to 
be  praised  by  the  other  countries  for  saving 
"  civilization."  Please  contradict  this  lie  to 
everybody,  and  give  my  greetings  to  our 
children.  Tell  Herbert  not  to  be  in  a  hurry. 
It  is  one  thing  to  ride  two  hours  for  pleasure 
and  quite  another  to  be  stuck  on  to  the  sol- 
dier's caparison.    There  is  no  use  now  for 

the  cavalry,  anyhow;  the  regiment  is  lying 

7  77 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

idle  in  Villette-aux-aulnes,  and  is  going  to  re- 
main there  till  peace  is  made  or  springtime. 
I  am  well.  Many  Ministers.  We  probably 
shall  call  the  Reichstag  hither  at  the  end  of 
November  (20)  with  Federal  Council  and  Con- 
gress of  Princes. 

Your 
V.  B. 

45 

Versailles,  November  3. 

My  Love: 

The  last  three  days  daily  three  hours'  tMe- 
k-t^te  with  Thiers,  and  no  armistice  will 
come  of  it  in  spite  of  all.  They  want  to  have 
everything,  but  grant  nothing.  My  evenings 
are  to  be  taken  up  by  the  German  Ministers, 
in  between  H.  M.  and  papers  and  telegrams, 
but  I  am  well,  under  the  circumstances;  also 
Bill.    Cordial  greetings. 

Your 
V.  B. 


78 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

46 

Telegram. 

Versailles,  November  8,  70, 10.14  a.  m. 

Frau  Countess  von  Bismarck: 

Bill  and  Philipp  are  here  on  a  three  days' 

furlough.     All  well. 

Bismarck. 

471 

To  Count  H.  Bismarck. 

Versailles,  November  12,  70. 
My  beloved  Boy: 

I  thank  you  for  your  letter,  and  understand 
and  sympathize  with  your  chagrin  over  your 
removal  to  the  depot  squadron.  I  should 
have  been  too  glad  if  you  had  come,  but  I 
am  too  superstitious  a  father  to  do  anything 
toward  it,  and  take  these  things  as  God  or- 
dains them.  You  are  there  more  useful,  as 
far  as  the  service  is  concerned,  than  here. 
Your  regiment  is  still  in  Tremblay  and  neigh- 

'  Published  in  the  sixth  rolume  of  the  Bismarck  -Jahrbucb, 
p.  236. 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

borhood,  drilling  and  riding,  seldom  having 
the  excitement  of  a  transport  of  prisoners. 
Bill  was  here  three  days  ago,  together  with 
Phipp.  Seven  miles  of  bad  road,  back  and 
forth;  both  fat  and  bored;  inspected  castle 
and  garden  and  sneaked  about  between 
street  and  breakfast.  You  are  not  losing 
much  here,  even  the  French  stopped  shooting 
ninety-three  thaler  balls  into  the  sky,  and 
ours  have  not  yet  their  ammunition.  What 
influences  those  are  that  hinder  its  arrival! 
Well,  I  have  my  thoughts  about  it,  but  do  not 
write  them  down.  But  my  ink-dabblers  ma- 
neuver day  and  night  and  intrigue  after  the 
manner  of  former  days  in  Frankfort.  If  a 
German  thunderstorm  is  not  to  burst  upon 
them,  these  diplomatists  and  bureaucrats  of 
the  old  school  will  never  make  any  headway, 
at  least  not  this  year.  We  lose  nothing  in 
waiting.  I  received  two  dear  letters  from 
your  mother  to-day  at  the  same  time,  and 
thank  her  much  for  the  psalms  and  love.  En- 
closed I  send  her  a  few  leaves  of  a  bouquet 
80 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

which  a  petty  officer  of  the  Forty-seventh 
brought  me  yesterday  from  the  outposts, 
drawn  up  as  if  on  duty,  announcing  that  the 
flowers  were  picked  for  me  by  his  Silesians 
under  the  French  fire.  To-day  at  ten  I  was 
awakened  by  the  Eighty-second  a  little 
early,  yet  pleasantly,  with  a  serenade,  Nas- 
sovians  and  Hessians.  The  soldier  has  lots 
for  me  in  his  heart.  The  princes,  I  suppose, 
have  roses  not  without  thorns,  but,  I  am 
sorry  to  say,  lots  of  time,  that  costs  me  mine. 
Cordial  greetings  to  Mama  and  Marie. 
Your  faithful  father, 

V.  B. 

The  conversations  with  Thiers  were  really 
animating.  He  is  by  far  the  most  charming 
Gaul  whose  acquaintance  I  have  made,  but 
from  the  first  word  I  never  for  a  moment 
counted  upon  an  armistice;  but  he  did.  His 
wishes  deceive  him  about  his  compatriots  in 
Paris,  who  would  have  almost  stoned  him. 
We  have  time,  until  they  have  eaten  their 
81 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

dogs  and  those  beautiful  long-haired  cats. 
Perhaps  it  will  not  be  necessary  for  us  to 
shoot,  since  it  has  not  been  done  so  far. 

Enclosure  (as  the  wrapping  of  the  leaves 
from  the  bouquet): 

PROGRAM. 

Parma  March von  Budik 

Fest  Ouverture Hamburger 

Studentenlust Strauss 

Frtihlingserwachen,  Lied  ohne 

Worte Bach 

The  Pauline,  Polka  concertante.Sachse 

48 
Versailles,  November  16,  70. 
My  dear  Heart: 

Delbriick  leaves  to-morrow  and  I  should 
gladly  accompany  him,  to  derive,  from  the 
Reichstag,  at  least,  the  profit  of  seeing  you 
again.  But  I  dare  not  leave  here.  The  air 
is  so  laden  again  with  attempts  at  meddling 
reconciliations  and  quarrels  among  the  neu- 
82 


TO   HIS  WIFE 

tral  powers,  which  threaten  to  leap  over 
into  ours,  and  so  many  images  of  princely 
fancy  about  Germany  are  haunting  head- 
quarters that  I  can  not  leave  his  Majesty, 
hard  as  it  is  for  me  to  deny  myself  a  change 
in  my  treadmill  work.  I  very  seldom  leave 
my  working-room;  hardly  ever  the  garden, 
as  there  is  not  every  day  time  or  weather 
for  riding.  I  see  almost  nobody  but  our  coun- 
selors and  servants,  the  King,  when  report- 
ing to  him,  and  consulting  Ministers.  I 
hardly  remember  a  time  so  barren  of  diver- 
sion, spiced  only  by  visits  of  exalted  gentle- 
men whose  political  chimeras  I  combat.  But 
I  will  gladly  bear  everything  if  God  only  will 
give  a  good  ending  this  side  and  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Khine.  The  German  affairs  cause 
most  work.  Of  the  latter  Delbriick  takes  the 
larger  share  of  the  load  upon  himself,  but  he 
can  not  take  the  princes  from  me,  neither 
the  Europeans.  And  besides  that,  the  Keichs- 
tag  will  probably  be  offended  that  I  have  to 
deny  it  the  honor  of  appearing  in  person.  I 
83 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

can  not  publicly  tell  all  the  reasons  that 
necessitate  my  remaining  here,  therefore 
assist  Delbrtick  to  spread  the  opinion  that 
the  journey  would  be  too  great  a  hardship 
for  me.  I  was  not  sick,  but  not  strong 
enough  to  stand  the  journey  in  addition  to 
the  Keichstag,  and  then  to  remain  capable  of 
attending  to  business.  That  I  should  not  re- 
turn exactly  refreshed  to  this  workhouse 
after  three  nights  of  travel,  eight  days  of 
Reichstag,  and  again  a  ride  of  sixty  hours 
back  is  no  lie  either;  otherwise  you  need  not 
fear  that  I  am  feeling  bad,  physically  I  mean. 
There  is  much  vexation,  as  everywhere  else, 
where  there  are  many  unoccupied  princes, 
but  I  am  getting  more  hardened,  to  be  sure. 
nth.  Delbriick  is  not  going  to  leave  be- 
fore this  afternoon.  Tell  him,  and  it  is  the 
truth,  how  gratefully  I  admire  his  unceasing 
and  successful  power  of  work.  You  know 
that  my  ability  of  acknowledging  is  not 
great,  but  he  so  penetrates  me  that  I  even 
have  to  speak  of  it  to  you  in  my  letters,  which 
84 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

are  generally  filled  with  other  thoughts  than 
thoughts  of  business.  Our  artillery  is  still 
silent,  after  about  three  times  as  many  as 
can  immediately  be  used  have  been  brought 
on.  I  was  right  from  the  beginning,  two 
months  ago,  when  I  was  opposed  to  a  siege 
of  Paris  and  in  favor  of  other  war  methods; 
but  now  that  the  great  army  has  been  nailed 
here  for  two  months  and  our  enthusiasm  is 
oozing  and  the  Frenchman  is  arming,  the 
siege  must  be  seen  through;  but  it  seems 
as  though  they  wish  to  let  the  four  hundred 
big  thunderers  and  their  hundred  thousands 
of  pounds  of  balls  stand  until  after  the  war 
is  over  and  we  go  back  to  Berlin.  And  it  is 
not  a  question  of  bombarding  the  town 
either,  but  only  of  the  detached  forts.  Those 
whose  influence  is  credited  with  these  delays 
probably  do  not  know  this  at  all.  God  may 
know  what  it  is  all  good  for.  Cordial  greet- 
ings to  the  children,  and  Oberchen,^  whose 
faithfulness  you   praise.     Have  you   snow 

'  Privy  Counselor  von  Obernitz. 

85 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

there?    Here  we  have  again  mild  sunshine 
alternating  with  rain. 

Your  most  faithful  (in  spite  of  Oberchen) 

V.  B. 

49 

Versailles,  U,  22,  70. 
I  only  write  you,  my  heart,  to  tell  you  that 
I  have  good  news  from  Bill.  Carl  DGnhof 
saw  him  yesterday  riding  on  his  black  hunt- 
ing horse  and  very  cheerful.  I  am  sitting  in 
work  up  to  my  ears,  but  am  getting  through 
with  Bavaria  and  Wtirtemberg,  which 
pleases  me  and  makes  me  forget  the  Anglo- 
Kussian  vexation.  Your  journey  to  Reinfeld 
causes  me  some  uneasiness  on  account  of 
your  dear  father.  I  hope  he  is  well.  Write 
immediately  about  it.  I  am  well,  but  busy, 
day  and  night.  Boon  is  sick  with  anger  over 
the  intrigues  against  the  bombardment  of 
the  Parisian  forts.  In  case  that  it  ever 
should  become  known  why  our  good  soldiers 
have  to  sleep  so  long  in  shell  fire  and  are  not 
86 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

permitted  to  attack,  there  will  be  bad  blood; 
and  it  will  be  known,  for  there  are  too  many 
people  who  believe  it.  Whether  the  King 
knows  of  it  and  permits  it  or  is  deceived,  the 
opinions  differ;  I  willingly  believe  the  latter. 
The  conspiracy,  if  such  be,  reaches  high  up 
into  the  General  Staff,  which  I  do  not  like 
anyhow,  excepting  the  good  and  judicious 
old  Moltke.  The  success  has,  emperor-mad, 
gone  to  their  heads,  and  I  often  fear  that 
this  arrogant  overself-estimation  will  yet  be 
visited  upon  us.  Behind  Moltke's  name 
many  hide  themselves.  He  himself  has 
grown  old  and  lets  go  what  will  go.  The 
regiments  save  us,  not  the  generals.  Good 
night,  my  heart;  greet  your  father  and  the 
children. 

.Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 


87 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

To  Count  H.  Bismarck. 

Versailles,  December  1,  70. 
My  beloved  Herbert: 

I  do  not  know  whether  your  mother  has 
come  back  from  Reinfeld;  I  hardly  believe 
so,  as,  in  view  of  the  weakness  of  your  grand- 
father, the  leave-taking  will  be  hard.  If  she 
should  be  in  Reinfeld  long  enough  for  it  to 
reach  her,  give  her  information  directly  that 
I  wrote.  My  last  letter  was  addressed  to 
Reinfeld;  but  as  I  was  led  to  believe,  judging 
by  the  news  from  there,  that  Mama  must 
have  left  by  the  time  it  would  have  reached 
there,  I  stopped  it  in  Berlin  by  wire,  where 
it  is  probably  lying  now.  There  were  several 
things  in  it,  the  careful  treatment  of  which 
in  R.  I  was  not  so  sure  of  after  the  departure 

'  Published  in  the  sixth  rolume  of  the  Bismarck  Jahrbuch, 
p.  237. 

88 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

of  our  ladies.  I  always  feared  until  now  that 
my  letters  would  miss  them  if  I  wrote  to 
E.,  as  the  return  was  postponed  several 
times,  which  I  consider  only  natural.  Two 
or  three  Keinfelder  smoked  goose-breasts 
would  be  quite  welcome  here;  after  those 
also  a  ham,  if  there  is  sure  and  quick  oppor- 
tunity. If  our  ladies  are  in  Berlin,  give 
them  my  cordial  greetings.  I  am  well;  I  eat 
and  drink  whatever  I  like;  weather  mild; 
since  yesterday  clear  and  cold.  I  rode  to 
Marly  and  climbed  the  tower  (about  100  feet 
high)  of  the  water-works,  from  which  Babel 
can  quite  clearly  be  seen  from  the  Pantheon 
at  the  right  to  the  Arc  de  Triomphe  at  the 
left,  which  is  cut  by  the  sloping  profile  of 
Mont  Val^rien.  They  defended  themselves 
yesterday  and  the  day  before  still  valiantly. 
The  Wtirtembergers  lost  forty  officers  and 
seven  hundred  men  yesterday;  fought  very 
bravely.  To-day  three  months  ago  at  Sedan 
— and  in  three  months  our  artillery  can  not 
get  the  first  shot  upon  this  fortress  not  very 
89 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

strong  in  itself,  which  holds  only  60,000  men, 
field-troops,  and  paralyzes  300,000  of  ours. 
Your  faithful  father, 

V.  B. 

51 

Versailles,  December  7,  70. 

My  beloved  Heart: 

I  will  force  myself  now  to  send  you  at  least 
a  few  lines,  though  the  unfortunate  three 
o'clock  mail  is  again  pressing  breathlessly, 
and  Weimar's  lord  is  expecting  me.  Herbert 
wrote  philosophically  the  other  day  of  Bill: 
"  It  is  really  sad  that  he  writes  so  little,  but, 
well,  it  can't  be  helped,  I  suppose."  If  any- 
thing had  happened  to  him  I  should  know  it 
ere  this  through  military  reports  and  there- 
fore believe  that  he  is  well  and  wallows  in 
oysters  between  Kouen  and  Havre.  I  do  not 
know  where  he  is  exactly,  but  it  is  very  likely 
that  there  are  no  German  mail  connections 
in  the  whole  region  which  the  Army  of  the 
North  now  occupies,  and  as  soon  as  such  are 
90 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

instituted,  the  dammed-up  stream  of  Bill's 
ink  will  find  its  way  to  you.  Your  question 
from  Keinfeld  whether  to  send  a  smoked 
goose-breast  was  very  surprising  to  me  as 
I  had  counted  on  the  goose  itself.  I  have 
been  eating  some  here,  charity  gifts,  which 
do  not  always  resemble  the  ideal  of  Reinfeld. 
Also  "  weisssauer "  we  should  be  only  too 
ready  to  eat,  after  that  ham.  After  the 
glorious  victories  on  the  Loire  and  in  the 
north  our  great  army  of  Paris  is  sitting  still 
as  ever,  whether  "  Fast,  in  its  prison  walls  of 
earth,"  or,  like  Thor,  "  its  knees  encircled  by 
feminine  garments,"  impeding  their  walk- 
ing, the  Lord  knows;  but  it  is  saddening  and 
it  costs  more  men  than  any  attack.  Our 
good  Pomeranians,  the  Ninth  and  Forty- 
ninth  Regiments,  paid  for  the  victory  of  the 
2d  with  much  blood,  likewise  the  brave  WUr- 
tembergers.  Moltke  is  also,  and  of  course 
with  deciding  voice,  against  an  attack  and 
in  favor  of  all  armistices.  The  attack  would 
cost  us  1,000  men.  I  do  not  believe  it.  This 
91 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

defensive  waiting  for  hostile  sorties,  the 
daily  small  losses,  the  sickness  have,  in  these 
two  months,  cost  about  10,000  men.  I,  of 
course,  abstain  from  putting  my  civilian 
opinion  forth  in  presence  of  such  authori- 
ties; but  the  good  Roon  has  been  real  sick 
with  anger  about  our  passiveness  and  his 
vain  attempts  to  get  us  to  an  attack.  He  is 
better  now,  resigned;  only  nobody  must 
speak  of  the  matter;  he  becomes  immedi- 
ately sick  with  bitterness.  He  really  stays 
here  only  for  my  sake,  because  I  should  else 
become  an  absolute  recluse,  politically  and 
sentimentally.  I  do  not  mean  that  I  have  to 
combat  the  resistance  of  all  in  the  political 
field — on  the  contrary;  but  I  have  not  here  a 
human  soul  to  talk  to  about  the  future  or 
the  past.  When  one  has  been  too  long  a 
Minister,  and  with  it  has  had,  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  some  success,  one  feels  dis- 
tinctly how  the  cold  waters  of  the  swamp 
of  envy  and  hatred  rise  gradually  higher 
and  higher  up  to  one's  heart.  One  does  not 
92 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

gain  any  new  friends;  the  old  ones  die  or 
step  back  in  disgruntled  modesty,  and  the 
coldness  from  above  grows,  as  is  peculiar  to 
the  natural  history  of  princes,  even  the  best. 
Every  affection  needs  a  response  if  it  is 
meant  to  last.  In  short,  I  am  feeling  cold, 
spiritually,  and  I  long  to  be  with  you  and 
in  the  solitude  of  the  country.  No  healthy 
heart  is  able  to  endure  this  Court  life  per- 
manently. But  I  am  healthy  in  body,  more 
than  I  have  been  for  years  or  days,  and  greet 
you  and  the  children  in  heartfelt  love  and  a 
little  homesickness. 

Your 

V.  B. 

52 

Versailles,  December  12,  70. 

My  beloved  Heart: 

Shortly  before  the  mail  leaves  I  write  only 

to  inform  you  that  I  have  good  news  from 

Bill  and  through  your  friend  Edwin,  in  a 

letter  dated  the  day  before  yesterday  from 

«  88 


BISMARCK'S  LETTERS 

Rouen.  He  has  been  ordered  to  the  staff 
guard  of  the  First  Army  Corps;  that  is  to 
say,  to  the  personal  protection  of  the  com- 
mander, a  position  correspondingly  less  ex- 
posed, as  the  commander  is  not  permitted  to 
expose  himself.  Bill  entered  Rouen  as  the 
first  Prussian.  The  inhabitants  are  said  to 
be  less  hostile  than  most  the  other  French 
people.  We  had  clear  frosty  weather  here, 
5°  (Reaumur);  since  last  night  rain  again 
and  the  snow  begins  to  melt.  The  princes 
bother  me  with  their  offlciousness;  also  my 
most  gracious  one  with  all  the  small  diflQcul- 
ties  that  come  up  for  him  in  connection  with 
the  very  simple  Emperor  question  caused  by 
princely  prejudices  and  trivialities.  Next 
week  Christmas;  and  what  shall  I  give  you, 
you  poor  little  woman,  and  our  daughter? 
Most  gladly  myself,  but  no  hope  of  that! 

At  last,  Roon  has  been  charged  with  the 

transportation  of  the  ammunition,  and  in  a 

week  he  hopes  to  have  all  that  is  necessary 

here.    Would  that  this  had  happened  two 

94 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

months  sooner!  Much  might  be  told  of  that, 
but  better  by  way  of  mouth.  I  should  like 
to  give  Herbert  a  fine  sabre-blade  for  Christ- 
mas, also  Bill,  but  it  must  be  the  usual  per- 
missible form.  When  I  say  blade,  I  mean 
sabre  with  scabbard,  but  the  value  must  lie 
in  the  blade.    God  save  you  all. 

V.  B. 

53 

Versailles,  December  14,  70. 
My  dear  Heart: 

You  have  spoiled  me  so  that  I  look  every 
morning,  when  Engel  steps  into  the  room, 
at  his  hands,  whether  there  be  any  letters. 
The  past  five  days  they  were  empty,  and  that 
worries  me  a  little;  perhaps  only  because 
you  were  at  other  times  so  industrious.  I 
enter  upon  all  sorts  of  speculations  whether 
Christmas  work,  or,  which  God  may  prevent, 
sickness  or  nursing  others  keeps  you  from 
writing. 

I  am  passably  well  in  spite  of  storm  and 
95 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

rain;  tired  out  with  vexation  about  the  well- 
known  themes,  bothered  with  work  beyond 
all  measure,  through  the  fault  of  people,  not 
through  real  necessity,  else  I  should  not  com- 
plain. I  hope  you  have  the  good  news  in  my 
last  letter  about  Bill,  that  he  is  well  in 
Rouen.    Cordial  greetings  in  post  haste. 

Your 
V.  B. 

64 

Veesailles,  12, 19. 
My  beloved  Heart: 

Many  thanks  for  your  letter,  which  I 

L!!ls  far  as  this  I  was,  then  interruption  by 

business;  now  closing  of  mail.    Seen  courier 

from  Rouen,  who  spoke  to  Bill  the  day  before 

yesterday,  laughed  (as  all  do)  when  I  asked. 

Goose-breast  forwarded. 

your 

y.  B. 


96 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

55 

Telegram. 

Sent  Versailles,  the  2Uh  of  December,  70,  2.40  p.  m. 

Countess  Bismarck: 

Bill  wrote  me  the  day  before  yesterday 
from  Amiens.  There  and  here  all  well. 
God's  blessing  for  the  holiday. 

VON  Bismarck. 

56 

Versailles,  12, 24,  70. 

My  beloved  Heart: 

It  is  hard  to  be  separated  to-day,  but  when 
I  think  of  Bonn  a  year  back,  we  have  plenty 
of  cause  to  thank  God  that  we,  in  the  hope 
of  a  speedy  reunion,  are  only  separated  to- 
day. The  enclosure  will  comfort  you  about 
Bill  for  the  time  being.  Smoked  goose- 
breast,  then  he  will  write!  I  shall  send  him 
another  to-day  by  the  same  courier.  At  last 
there  is  an  attack  upon  Paris  in  view,  before 
New- Year's  Eve  it  is  to  be  hoped.  What 
97 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

Roon's  and  my  work  of  months  were  unable 
to  bring  about,  the  storm  of  the  Berlin  news- 
papers and  the  echo  of  it  which  the  Reichs- 
tag brought  along,  seem  to  have  effected. 
Also  Moltke  is  said  to  be  converted  since 
he  received  anonymous  newspaper  poems 
which  showed  that  his  system,  as  though  the 
thing  did  not  concern  him,  found  no  mercy 
before  the  public  opinion.  The  glory  of  the 
leadership  is  lying  in  the  admirable  valor  of 
the  troops.  Only  a  little  less  of  it  and  none 
of  the  leaders  would  be  able  to  stand  against 
criticism.  Owing  to  the  scattering  of  the 
army  from  Tours  to  Lille  and  to  the  over- 
hasty  attacks,  then  to  the  sleepy  conduct  of 
the  war  before  Paris,  there  is  not  a  single 
department  in  France  in  which  we  are  com- 
plete master,  so  that  we  could  enforce  a  con- 
tribution. May  God  better  it,  his  arm  is  not 
flesh.  In  that  I  trust,  when  I  see  these 
abandoned  people.  We  are  all  sinners,  but 
not  so  Babylonian  and  not  so  refractory 
against  God.  Kiss  and  greet  the  children, 
98 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

give  Marie  whatever  she  wishes  from  me, 
something  of  gold,  as  a  souvenir  of  the  times. 
For  Herbert  a  double-barreled  gun,  if  not  to- 
day, then  for  his  birthday. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 
Have  you  received  my  telegram  of  to-day? 

57 » 

To  Count  H.  Bismarck. 

Versailles,  December  26,  70. 
My  dear  Herbert: 

Cordial  wishes  for  your  birthday  are  all, 
I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  I  can  entrust  to 
the  paper,  but  thank  God  that  he  has  gra- 
ciously protected  you  this  last  year  in  all 
dangers,  and  preserved  you  to  us.  It  would 
have  been  a  sad  day  of  mourning  for  all  of 
us  instead  of  your  birthday,  if  many  things 
had  come  out  differently,  but  for  the  breadth 
of  a  hair,  in  Bonn,  on  the  battlefield,  or  in 

>  Published  in  the  sixtli  Tolume  of  the  Bismarck  Jahrbuch, 
p.  238. 

99 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

Nauheim.  Thank  God  with  me  for  his  grace 
and  for  the  joy  with  which  I  think  of  you. 
I  wrote  Mama  that  I  wanted  to  give  you  a 
gun;  select  it  yourself,  with  detachable  bar- 
rels as  rifle,  case,  arms,  and  the  number  of 
the  year  1870  under  the  latter  on  the 
plate.  .  .  .  Here  we  shall,  I  hope,  cele- 
brate your  birthday  with  the  first  efforts  of 
the  artillery.  It  was  not  God's  will  that 
mine  should  rule. 

Your  faithful  father, 

y.  B. 

58 

2d  Holiday. 
My  Darling: 

Only  a  greeting  and  thanks  for  the  charm- 
ing cups.  The  little  tree  was  lit  for  the  cof- 
fee, and  I  wrote  at  its  flickering  light  to 
Munich.  Then  Keudell  called  us  again  from 
our  drawing-room  into  the  dining-room;  I 
had  a  beautiful  large  tree,  and  for  everybody 
something  under  it.  Even  if  the  gun  for 
Herbert  should  cost  one  hundred  thaler  and 

100 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

more,  it  is  a  memento  of  serious  times.  His 
letter  is  already  closed  and  I  must  mail  this 
one  separately.  Cordial  greetings  to  Marie 
and  Oberchen  and  all. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

Keceived  the  letter  of  the  23d.  Be  gentle 
and  good,  my  heart,  we  are  all  wanting  in 
the  glory,  and  must  let  the  will  of  God  be 
done,  who  is  kind  to  us  beyond  our  merit. 

59 

Versailles,  January  1,  71. 

My  beloved  Heart: 

The  first  time  that  I  write  '71  it  shall  be 
for  you;  it  will  bring  us  luck.  The  beginning 
is  good,  letters  from  you  and  from  Herbert, 
with  good  contents,  when  I  woke  up;  and  I 
see  that  everything  is  tolerably  well  in  Var- 
zin,  and  here;  the  striking  proof  has  been 
furnished  that  our  artillery  is  superior  to 
the  French.  Mont  Avon  shot  to  pieces  in 
101 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

one  day  and  occupied  without  loss.  The 
heretofore  opposers  to  the  attack  are  con- 
verted, though  a  little  sour-looking  on  ac- 
count of  the  quick  successes  of  the  artillery; 
for  everybody  thinks  now  by  himself  we 
could  have  done  this  two  months  ago,  if  a 
dozen  of  people  of  influence  had  not  hindered 
it  for  several  reasons.  More  by  way  of 
mouth!  For  now  I  hope  to  see  you  all  this 
year,  of  which  there  have  elapsed  already 
fifteen  hours.  I  am  glad  of  Herbert's  joy; 
be  good  to  Einsiedel;  I  saw  him  being 
brought  in  on  the  stretcher  in  his  cloak  when 
I  went  into  the  house  to  Herbert  on  the  17th 
of  August.  He  has  an  honest  face.  I  feared 
immediately  that  his  poor  long  leg  would 
heal  slowly.  All  this  vexation  has  gone 
somewhat  into  my  left  leg,  the  old  vein  over 
the  knuckle.  But  I  kept  myself  still  and 
dieted  for  three  days;  yesterday  only  one 
glass  of  weak  punch;  and  now  it  is  going 
again.  I  still  use  it  as  an  excuse  not  to  make 
any  New- Year's  visits,  as  it  still  hurts  me 
102 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

when  I  have  to  stand  long,  which  is  unavoid- 
able at  Court.  Grand  Duchess  Helen  sent 
me  charming  caviar  and  six  bashliks.  She 
remains  always  equally  gracious  and  kind. 
For  Marie's  good  courage  I  thank  God  that 
at  least  one  of  us  sees  otherwise  than  black. 
Would  that  her  George's  dollar,  that  is  lying 
before  me  attached  to  my  watch,  reflected  on 
me  also  some  lighter  pink-cloud  lamb-color- 
ing. It  is  wearisome  when  old  people  are 
becoming  so  peevish.  May  God  change  it  to 
the  better. 

Your  most  faithful , 

V.  B. 

60 

Telegram. 

Sent  Versailles,  January  1,  71,  7  p.  m. 

Countess  Bismarck: 

Received    congratulations   from   Bill    by 
telegraph.    Yours  also. 

y.  Bismarck. 


103 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

61 

Versailles,  1, 4,  '71. 
My  Heart: 

I  received  your  letter  of  the  1st  just  now 
and  beg  God  with  you  that  he,  first  of  all, 
bring  us  together  again.  If  you  were  here 
I  should  like  these  winter  quarters  just  as 
much  as  any  other,  and  look  upon  events  in 
resignation.  But  that  would  not  do,  wives 
and  daughters  are  forbidden  at  headquar- 
ters, else  there  would  be  too  many  of  them, 
for  even  the  most  incorrigible  casino-fly  gets 
a  longing  here  for  the  at  other  times  scorned 
domesticity.  It  could  have  been  different  a 
long  time  ago,  if  they  had  shot  sooner.  After 
the  brilliant  successes  of  the  first  trials  with 
the  beleaguering  artillery  nobody  disputed 
it  any  longer,  and  it  would  be  hard  to  find 
one  now  who  would  admit  to  have  ever  been 
against  shooting,  and  yet  only  three  weeks 
have  elapsed  since  of  those  who  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  war  council,  Roon  was  the  only 
one  who  thought  correctly.  General-Adju- 
104 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

tant  Boyen  still  tried  to  convince  the  gentle- 
men of  the  Reichstag  that  Roon,  for  want  of 
sense,  and  I,  out  of  bitterness  against  the 
General  Staff,  were  the  only  ones  who  cried 
for  shooting,  because  we  both  did  not  un- 
derstand such  things.  Boyen's  further  con- 
nection you  know.  He  is,  so  to  say,  "  ambas- 
sador" to  this  royal  camp.  To-day  it  was 
intended  that  we  should  begin  seriously,  but 
God  did  not  wish  it,  and  sent  a  dense  fog, 
so  that  one  can  not  see  one  hundred  feet 
ahead.  Let  us  hope  for  to-morrow;  the  lost 
three  months  can  never  be  made  up. 

5th.  At  last  they  have  shot;  since  eight 
o'clock  I  counted  fifteen  to  twenty  shots  in 
every  minute.  The  French  did  not  respond, 
and  now,  two  o'clock,  ours  are  also  silent. 
Perhaps  a  sufficient  effect  has  been  made 
already?    I  am  very  curious. 

What  does  the  good  Suabian  friend  really 
mean?  I  do  not  understand  his  letter.  An- 
swer him  kindly. 

Bill  has  been  seen  well  yesterday  morning 
105 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

by  a  courier  who  arrived  here  to-day.     En- 
closed the  rarity  of  his  handwriting.    Thank 
Herbert  for  his  letter  and  kiss  the  good 
Marie  for  me  for  the  same  reason. 
Your  most  faithful 

y.  B. 
To-day  post  haste. 

(Enclosed  the  following  slip  by  the  hand 
of  the  Count  Lehndorf :) 

Versailles,  January  5,  71. 

8.15  o'clock  the  first  shot  from  our  bat- 
teries— since  then  several.  Perhaps  you 
have  known  this  for  some  time,  but  I  did  not 
wish  to  lose  the  opportunity  to  be  the  first 
at  your  awakening  to  bring  you  the  news  of 
the  final  fulfilment  of  your  wish. 

9.30.  Lehndorf. 

62 

Versailles,  1, 9,  71. 
My  dear  Heart: 

In   fiying   haste  of  business   I   give   the 

courier  a  few  lines  before  three  o'clock,  to 

quiet  you  about  my  health.    During  the  last 

106 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

three  days  I  have  taken  walks  and  have 

driven  even  before  that.    Lauer  thinks  it  to 

be  the  first  announcement  of  gout,  thus  a 

permit  for  twenty-five  years  at  least,  even 

if  it  should  be  only  an  occasional  twitch  in 

the  big  toe.    I  have  sent  Bill  cigars  several 

times,  that  he  may  make  friends  for  himself. 

To-day  Roon's  fiftieth  anniversary;  too  bad 

he  is  lying  in  bed.    I  was  just  on  the  way 

to  him,  and  hope  to  be  one  of  the  few  whom 

he  sees.     He  suffers  through  fault  of  others. 

Both  of  us  have  paid  for  the  insistence  upon 

the  siege  with  our  health.    Kraft  Hohenlohe, 

zealous  and  expert,  throws  a  bombshell  a 

distance  of  10,000  paces.    Heavy  snowfall. 

Cordial  greetings  to  the  children. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

I  enjoy  your  letter  every  morning.  Read 
Psalm  27  yesterday  in  bed  and  fell  asleep 
comforted  with  verse  14.  Do  likewise,  and 
with  thanks  in  spite  of  all. 

107 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

(Enclosed  the  following  telegram:) 
Count  Bismarck-Schonhausen, 
Versailles: 

My  most  cordial  congratulations  to  the 
Cross  First  Class.  Regret  your  indisposi- 
tion. Hope  that  the  bombardment  will  re- 
store you  soon!  You  will  presently  receive 
bonbonni^re  with  chocolates  from  me. 

Marie  Princess  Charles  of  Prussia. 

63 

Telegram. 

SerU  Versailles,  January  10,  71,  3.50  p.  m. 

Countess  Bismarck: 

Bill  here  with  Baron  von  Manteuffel;  I  all 

well  again. 

yoN  Bismarck. 

64 

Versailles,  1, 11,  71. 
My  Darling: 

Our  fat  child,  in  order  to  take  leave  to-day, 

woke  me  earlier  than  I  am  accustomed  to 

get  up.    He  has  just  left  with  Manteuffel  for 

the  army  formed  at  Vesoul,  the  command  of 

108 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

which  his  present  chief  will  take,  because 
of  Zastrow's  illness.  He  is  very  well  and 
strong,  and  Manteuffel  satisfied  with  him; 
he  is  "  practical."  Manteuffel  tells  him  that 
he  will  look  out  for  him  out  of  gratefulness  to 
you  and  your  "  tea  "  in  Frankfort.  I  am  glad 
that  he  remains  with  the  army  staff;  he  sees 
and  learns  more  than  in  the  regiment,  and 
he  is  really  everywhere  in  God's  hand,  but, 
according  to  human  knowledge,  there  less 
exposed  to  the  frontireur-murderers;  which 
I  mention  for  your  sake,  for  I  fear  you  worry 
and  fret  yourself  sick,  which  part  will  come 
after  the  tension  is  over.  I  have  been  going 
out  for  a  long  time;  drive  daily,  as  it  is  too 
slippery  and  cold  for  riding  on  horseback. 
Bill  came  yesterday  morning,  just  when  150 
music  men  (Fourth  Corps)  of  this  division 
gave  me  the  enclosed  serenade,  after  which 
I  treated  them  all  to  hot  punch.  Everything 
is  covered  white  with  snow,  moderately  cold, 
clear  weather,  which  is  made  use  of  by 
our  artillery  for  continued  shooting.  I  am 
®  109 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

counting  on  the  average  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  shots  in  a  minute,  and  with  some  of  them 
the  windows  and  the  ground  tremble  gently 
as  far  away  as  this.  I  think  the  negotiations 
will  now  soon  begin.  Cordial  greetings  to 
the   children,   and   fight   off   sorrows   with 

prayer. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

The  music  bands  of  the  Ninth  Division: 

PROGRAM. 

No.  1.  "  Hoch  Deutschland,  herrliche  Sieges- 
braut,"  Sieges-Fest  March,  by  Franz 
Abt. 

No.  2.  Ouverture  of  the  Opera  Don  Juan, 
by  W.  A.  Mozart. 

No.  3.  Hohenfriedberg  March,  by  Frederick 
the  Great. 

No. '4.  "Am  Meere"  Lied,  by  Franz  Schu- 
bert. 

No.  5.  Jubel-Fest  March — Deutscher  Kriegs 
und  Sieges  March,  by  Georg  Gold- 
schmidt. 

110 


TO   HIS   WIFE 
65 

Versailles,  1,  21,  71. 

My  Darling: 

I  have  not  written  you  for  a  terribly  long 
time.  Pardon  me,  but  this  emperor  birth 
was  a  difficult  one,  and  kings  at  such  times 
have  their  queer  desires  like  women  before 
they  give  up  to  the  world  what  indeed  they 
can  not  keep.  Acting  as  accoucheur  I  had 
several  times  the  urgent  need  to  be  a  shell 
and  to  burst  so  that  the  whole  edifice  might 
go  to  pieces.  Necessary  business  does  not 
wear  me  much,  but  the  unnecessary  things 
gall. 

Loper,^  I  hope,  has  written  you  about  me; 
he  promised  me  to.  To-day  Struck  came  to 
me;  I  believe  you  sent  him  reconnoitering; 
he  spoke  words  which  I  had  written  to  you. 
He  was  satisfied,  after  he  had  gone  through 
his  hocus-pocus  of  feeling,  pressing,  and 
listening.  Riding  and  lemon-juice  are  his 
remedies,  also  Vichy.    Well,  all  that  is  being 

'  Reporting  Counselor  in  the  Home  Office. 
Ill 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

done,  but  the  roads  are  so  muddy  from  the 
rain  that  it  is  possible  to  ride  only  on  the 
macadamized  roads.  Poor  Roon  is  still  very 
weak.  Schleinitz  is  trying  to  burden  me 
with  the  unpleasantness  about  "  Imperial 
and  Royal  Highness  "  ;  it  rests  entirely  with 
the  King  and  the  Chamberlain;  in  time  it 
will,  perhaps,  be  possible;  the  sisterly  re- 
sistance has  been  so  far  very  strong.  The 
Grand  Duke  of  Baden  is  really  sensible  and 
mediating,  but  he  is  the  only  one  who  assists 
me,  now  and  then,  in  the  affairs.  Carl  has 
been  indisposed  for  a  long  time,  stomach. 
Hatzfeld  was  the  same,  cold.  Abeken  had 
some  "  writer's  cramp."  Bucher,  uriberufen, 
always  like  a  fish  in  water.  Read  Scherr,  he 
is  really  a  lying  driveler.  Carl  reports  just 
now  that  sixty  of  our  artillery  have  been 
bombarding  St.  Denis  since  nine  o'clock. 
Last  evening  H.  M.  and  the  Crown  Prince 
stepped  suddenly  into  my  room  just  when  we 
were  getting  up  from  table;  Trochu  wanted 
an  armistice, — not  much!  Cordial  greetings 
112 


TO  HIS  WIFE 

to  the  children,  Oher-    (Upper)    and  Under- 

nitze. 

Your 

y.  B. 

66 

My  Heart: 

I  have  been  negotiating  with  Favre  the 
past  three  days,  day  and  night,  and  if  our 
side  is  not  going  to  cause  too  many  difficul- 
ties, an  armistice  of  three  weeks  will  begin 
the  day  after  to-morrow,  which  will  probably 
lead  to  peace;  to  the  surrender  of  all  the  forts 
of  Paris  at  any  rate.  May  God  give  his  bless- 
ing.   Favre  is  here.    Farewell,  greetings. 

Your 
y.  B. 

67 

Versailles,  1, 27,  71. 
My  dear  Heart: 

I  have  been  having  so  much  work  the  last 

few  days  that  I  had  little  time  for  writing. 

It  seems  that  we  shall,  in  a  few  days,  have 

an  armistice  of  three  weeks;  the  cannons 

have  been  silent  since  midnight.   Will  it  lead 

113 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

to  peace?  It  seems  so,  and  may  God  grant 
it.  Anyhow  it  will  give  us,  if  it  should  be 
accomplished,  all  the  forts  of  Paris,  and 
after  the  lapse  of  three  weeks  we  shall,  so 
God  will,  occupy  the  city  also.  Farewell,  my 
heart.    Favre  is  coming  with  generals. 

Cordial  greetings^.  Embrace  the  children, 
or  is  the  long  one  already  on  the  way  hither? 
Marie,  Roller  says,  is  getting  stout.  She  will 
press  on  my  horse,  the  dearest  child. 

Your 
y.  B. 

68 
Telegram. 

Versailles,  January  28,  71. 

Capitulation  of  all  Paris  forts  and  armis- 
tice of  three  weeks  on  land  and  water  signed 
by  me  and  M.  Jules  Favre.  Paris  army  re- 
mains prisoner  within  the  city. 

Bismarck. 

69 

Versailles,  1,  30,  71. 

I  am  quite  well,  my  heart.     The  High 
double  visit  was  only  curiosity  and  zeal  for 
114 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

an  important  affair.  I  was  still  sitting  at 
table  with  the  bureau  when  the  Exalted  sur- 
prise entered.  I  have  the  house  daily  full  of 
Frenchmen.  Favre  works  in  my  little  par- 
lor; I  in  my  bedroom;  there  is  so  much  to 
arrange  and  to  write  that  I  seldom  go  to  bed 
before  two  or  three,  but. sleep  then  very  well 
till  ten  or  eleven.  Paris  is  living  only  on  our 
bread ;  the  people  had  no  idea  how  thorough- 
ly they  themselves  had  destroyed  all  the  rail- 
roads. 

Cordial  greetings. 

Your 

V.  B. 

I  write  with  pencil,  because  I  have  not  the 
time  to  dip  my  pen  into  the  ink-well. 

70 

February  1;  71.' 

Well,  and  much  work.    Every  day  French- 
men from  early  in  the  morning  till  late  in 
the  evening,  for  the  execution  of  the  armis- 
tice.    The  people  are  so  inexperienced  in 
115 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

business  that  I  have  to  help  them  in  their 

work.     Favre  is  sitting  in  his  chair  daily 

from  twelve  to  ten  in  the  evening  writing 

in  my  room.     Many  thanks  to   Marie   for 

letter. 

Your 

V.  B. 
71 

Versailles,  2,  3,  71. 
My  Heart: 

To-morrow  I  am  expecting  Herbert,  and 
shall  give  him  the  fat  letter.  But  how  could 
the  dear  boy  leave  without  horses?  He  has 
to  march  with  his  detachment,  indeed,  at 
least  from  Lagny  here,  and  then  farther 
on  to  the  mustering  out,  even  if  he  should 
not  be  ordered  back  to  the  regiment.  Well, 
we  shall,  as  God  will,  see  to-morrow  what 
he  thinks  about  it,  and  I  am  heartily  glad  to 
be  able  to  grasp  him  and  see  him  again. 

Yesterday  I  was  in  St.  Cloud,  Battery  One, 

just  opposite  Kothschild's.    Without  having 

seen  it,  it  is  impossible  to  have  an  idea  of 

the  destruction  which  the  artillery  of  Mont 

116 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

Val^rien  has  caused  in  these  charming 
places  west  and  south  of  the  Bois  de  Bou- 
logne, from  Meudon  to  St.  Cloud.  Burned 
ruins  are  the  least;  completely  demolished 
are  the  houses,  and  in  the  fantastic  bits 
which  the  shells  allowed  to  stand,  one  may 
see  furniture  and  wall-paper  in  inaccessible, 
overhanging  upper  stories,  silk,  marble, 
bronze.  I  drove  with  Boon,  who  is  considera- 
bly better  and  who  sends  his  regards.  I 
telegraphed  Princess  Charles  to-day.  The 
"  Highness  "  question  will,  I  suppose,  be  set- 
tled in  time  and  according  to  wishes.  I 
found  the  French  Ministers  and  generals 
here  when  I  returned  from  St.  Cloud.  They 
can't  live  without  me;  at  least  not  work. 
Perhaps  they  will  yet  split  up  and  fight 
among  themselves.  Gambetta  apparently 
gave  in  at  first,  causes  now  difficulties,  and 
accuses  Favre  and  the  Parisians  of  treason. 
I  do  not  believe  that  he  will  find  a  following. 
The  desire  for  peace  is  dominant.  But  he 
forces  us  to  carry  the  armistice  through  in 
117 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

a  harder  manner  than  we  should  have  done 

otherwise.     Keudel,  pale  and  wounded,  is 

stepping   in   with    papers.     Kiss   the   dear 

Marie  for  me,  and  good-by. 

Your 

y.  B. 
72 
Telegram. 

Versailles,  February  4,  71. 

Countess  von  Bismarck: 

Herbert  here  in  best  condition.     Please 

find    out    what    there    is    known    ofl&cially 

about  his  removal  to  the  regiment,  and  as 

soon  as  the  information  is  received  there, 

forward  it  here  to  me  by  telegraph. 

V.  Bismarck. 

73 

Versailles,  February  5,  71. 
His  Majesty  the  Emperor  and  King  has 
deigned  to  grant  the  Iron  Cross,  second 
class,  to  your  Excellency's  son,  second  lieu- 
tenant in  the  First  Guard  Dragoon  Regi- 
ment,  stationed  here.     I   most  obediently 

118 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

haye  the  honor  to  transmit  the  same  here- 
with, most  respectfully  leaving  to  you  the 
further  forwarding  of  the  same. 

(Sig.)    V.  Albedyll. 

To  the  Imperial  C3ianceIlor  Count  v.  Bismarck,  Ex- 
cellency. 

Well,  at  last;  he  earned  it  last  August,  but 
the  Court  air,  in  which  they  grow,  was  lack- 
ing in  the  lazaretto.  I  am  well,  and  French- 
men daily  in  excess. 

Youp 

y.  B. 

74 

Versailles,  2, 10,  71. 

My  Darling: 

Herbert  is  just  departing  and  leaves  me 
alone  with  the  weather,  the  usual  kind  at 
such  farewells,  gloomy  and  rainy.  It  has 
given  me  great  pleasure  to  see  him.  His  re- 
moval has  been  proposed  by  the  regiment, 
not  yet  ordered  by  the  division,  so  he  has  to 
lead  his  detachment  back.  It  is  just  as  well 
that  he  should  attend  to  his  horses  and 
things  himself,  if  it  should  really  come  to 
119 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

that,  and  that  he  should  see  you  again  and 
attest  to  you  the  groundlessness  for  all  the 
newspaper  canards  about  my  health.  I  rode 
with  him  yesterday  for  four  hours,  and  only 
one  day  in  weeks  have  I  lost  through  anger 
and  thus  been  indisposed. 

"  Herr  Favre "  is  being  announced,  and 
the  mail  is  also  ready.    Greeting  Marie. 

Your 
y.  B. 

75 

Monday,  2, 13,  71. 
I  quite  lost  sight  of  Herbert.  I  wrote  and 
telegraphed  him  to  Lagny,  without  success. 
Telegram  from  Brozowski,'^  which  I  forward- 
ed meanwhile  to  Berlin,  arrived  the  day  after 
his  marching.  It  is  perhaps  better  so  on 
account  of  his  horses  and  things.  Bill  was 
seen  well  three  days  ago.    Courier  laughed 

again  in  reporting  it. 

In  haste, 

V.  B. 

1  Commander  of  the  First  Guard  Dragoons. 

120 


TO   HIS   WIFE 


76 

2,  17,  71. 

We  have  spring  weather  here  the  last 
eight  days;  buds  on  shrubs,  white  snow- 
bells^  in  the  garden  and  violets  under  glass. 
Cordial  greetings  to  Marie.  In  three  weeks 
I  hope  to  be  with  you,  my  heart,  if  it  is 

God's  will. 

Your 

V.  B. 

77 

Versailles,  2,  27,  71. 
My  dear  Heart: 

I    badly   rewarded   your   faithfulness    in 

writing  me  daily,  and  every  time  when  Engel 

brought  me  your  letter  to  my  bed,  regretted 

and  made   good   resolutions,   but   one   day 

passed  as  the  other,  daily  six,  sometimes 

seven  hours  Thiers  and   Favre.     My  little 

friend  Thiers  is  very  clever  and  charming, 

*  Were  enclosed. 

121 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

but  no  business  man  for  verbal  negotiations. 
The  foam  of  ideas  gushes  irresistibly  out  of 
him  as  out  of  an  open  bottle,  and  tires  the 
patience  because  it  hinders  getting  at  the 
drinkable  stuff,  which  is  the  thing.  With  all 
that,  he  is  a  decent  little  fellow,  with  white 
hair,  respectable  and  charming,  good  old- 
fashioned  French  manners,  and  it  was  very 
hard  for  me  to  be  as  hard  upon  him  as  I  had 
to  be.  This  the  villains  knew  and  therefore 
pushed  him  forward.  Yesterday  at  last  we 
signed;  gained  more  than  I  think  is  good 
for  my  personal  political  calculation.  But 
I  have  to  regard,  upward  and  downward, 
sentiments  which  just  won't  calculate.  We 
take  Alsace  and  German  Lorraine,  Metz  with 
very  indigestible  elements,  and  over  1,300,- 
000,000  thaler.  The  last  difficulty  will  now 
be  to  get  these  conditions  in  Bordeaux 
through  the  Assembly  of  seven  hundred 
heads  strong.  But  God  led  us  so  far  with  his 
strong  hand.  He  will  also  make  the  peace 
firm  and  solid  for  us,  for  which  beside  much 
122 


TO   HIS   WIFE 

rabble  in  France,  so  many  honest  people  of 
ours  and  also  of  the  opponent  have  fallen, 
are  crippled  or  in  mourning.  My  heart  is 
full  with  humble  thanks,  and  I  hope  to  be 
with  you  soon  with  both  your  boys  in  blue, 
in,  perhaps,  a  fortnight.  May  God  save  you 
and  give  us  a  speedy  reunion  at  home.  Re- 
garding the  "  victorious  return,"  no  more 
danger  than  anywhere  in  life  under  God's 
protection.  Cordial  greetings,  above  all,  to 
Marie  and  to  your  faithful  comfortress,  Frau 

yon  E(isendecher). 

Your 

V.  B. 


78 

Versailles,  March  5,  71. 

My  dear  Heart: 

It  is  to-day  just  five  months  since  I  moved 
into  this  poor  little  room,  and  to-day  I  re- 
solved, with  the  help  of  God,  to  leave  it  to- 
morrow.   Whether  I  shall  succeed  depends 
128 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

upon  emperors,  grand  dukes,  and  opportuni- 
ties to  travel;  of  the  latter  none  probably 
will  offer  itself  before  next  Thursday  from 
Lagny,  if  I  will  not  fall  into  local  trains.  I 
shall  stay  in  Metz  overnight,  and  the  follow- 
ing day,  via  Bingen  and  by  express,  hurry  on 
to  Berlin  and  you.  Meanwhile  everybody 
pulls  me  by  the  coat-tails  and  bothers  me 
with  questions  which  nobody  can  answer. 
His  Majesty  is  going  to  Ferrieres  on  Tues- 
day. I,  if  I  can,  to-morrow.  The  decision 
about  it  I  shall  have  not  before  this  evening. 
Then  the  King  wishes  yet  to  see  many  troops. 
He  thinks  that  he  will  never  see  them  again, 
as  for  the  next  three  years  there  will  be  no 
reviews,  and  that  he  will  not  live  long  enough 
to  see  them  later.  But  he  is  so  well  that  I 
do  not  see  why  he  should  not  become  over 
eighty  years  old,  if  anybody  does.  Your  fear 
of  the  Parisians  was  unnecessary.  I  entered, 
with   Gordon,^    through   Porte   Maillot,   on 

'  Commander  of  the  Eleventh  Dirlsion,  which  entered  Paris 
after  the  parade  at  Longcbamps. 

124 


TO  HIS   WIFE 

Wednesday,  on  horseback,  turned  back  at 
the  Arc  de  Triomphe,  as  I  am  not  allowed 
to  pass  it  before  H.  M.  had  done  so,  and  rode 
then  alone  back  with  Wartensleben^ ;  was 
recognized  everywhere,  hissed  a  little,  but, 
indeed,  only  by  very  small  boys.  Of  assas- 
sins not  a  trace.  The  King  will  not  get  in  at 
all  now,  as  the  French  hurried  so  with  the 
ratification.  I  am  sorry  for  it,  for  nothing 
would  have  happened  to  him  either.  At  taps 
on  Thursday  thousands  of  Parisians  fol- 
lowed arm-in-arm  with  our  soldiers,  and  at 
the  "  helmet  off  for  prayer  "  everybody  took 
his  hat  off,  and  said  voild  ce  qui  nous  manquey 
and  that,  I  presume,  is  right.  Before  the 
end  of  the  week  I  shall  be  with  you,  so  God 

will. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

'  Lieutenant  in  the  Fifth  Lancers  and  attach^. 


10  125 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 
79 

Saarbrucken,  3,  8,  71. 
Telegram. 

Countess  von  Bismarck-Schonhausen, 
Berlin : 
I  have  just  arrived  at  Saarbrticken,  and 
hope  to  arrive  at  Anhalt  Depot  by  express 
Thursday  morning. 

BISMABGK. 


126 


APPENDIX 

Ten  Letters  from  the  Years  1867-1873 

80 

Vahzin,  June  27,  '67. 
My  dear  Heart: 

Bernhard  left  this  morning  after  he  had 

still  bothered  me  at  five  o'clock  about  Kniep- 

hof,  and  thus  managed  that  I  got  up  at  six 

and  rode  about  for  five  hours  on  Walter,  up 

and  down  steep  hills,  with  beech-nurseries, 

brimm,^  and  heather;  then  I  ate  dinner  with 

the  pastor  at  Wussow,  gave  him  a  lesson  in 

ciphering,  and  will  now  try  a  wagon  from 

Coslin.     It  is  right   nice  here  outside  the 

house,  and  I  advise  you  to  come  soon.    But 

first  send  beds,  and  dishes  which  Engel  has 

noted  upon  the  enclosed  slip.    There  are  only 

'  Pomeranian  broom. 

127 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

two  poor  sets  of  beds  here,  thus  six  more  at 
least  are  wanted.  Did  you  order  three  from 
Reinfeld?  They  could  be  here  within  a  few 
hours.  From  Schonhausen  have  our  glasses 
sent,  the  red  and  the  carved  chairs,  at  least 
one  writing-desk  with  locks,  or  two,  and  all 
that  can  be  spared  of  beds.  Here  is  one 
dining-room,  two  drawing-rooms  (for  a  bil- 
liard-room or  third  drawing-room  is  time 
enough  later),  four  sleeping-rooms  and 
three  guest-chambers  to  be  furnished.  For 
this  purpose  send  now  whatever  can  be 
spared  in  Schonhausen  and  Berlin;  then  we 
shall  see  what  more  we  want.  The  two  inlaid 
cigar  cabinets  with  tables  which  you  gave 
me  might  be  sent  here  from  Berlin;  in  their 
place  in  my  old  room  the  roll-top  desk  from 
the  antechamber  of  Decker's^  board-room. 
With  what  shall  we  furnish  the  room  of  his 
Majesty?  We  are  short  here.  I  do  not 
know  if  I  should  not  stay  here,  as  long  as  I 

'  Wilhelmstrasse   75,   formerly  in    the    possession    of    Mr. 
Decker. 

128 


APPENDIX 

am  here,  and  wait  for  you.  I  feel,  though 
lonely,  quite  comfortable  here;  how  much 
more  pleasant  it  will  be  with  you.  But  I 
can  not  write  much.  The  ink  hates  me. 
Cordial  greetings  to  the  children,  and  come 
soon,  all  of  you,  but  first  send  furniture  and 
fifty  bottles  of  red  wine  and  as  many  of  beer. 
Now  I  shall  go  driving  to  see  forest  and  sun- 
shine. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 


Send  me  immediately,   paper, 
wealing  sax,  and  official  seal.  .  . 


81 

Varzin,  June  30,  '69. 
My  Beloved: 

I  had  the  best  of  intentions  to  write  you, 
but  neither  time  nor  pen,  paper  nor  ink.  The 
latter  has  arrived,  but  whence  shall  the  time 
come?  After  having  breakfasted  and  news- 
papered,  I  wander  in  hunting-boots  into  the 
forests,  hill-climbing  and  swamp-wading, 
129 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

learn  geography,  and  plan  reservations; 
as  soon  as  I  return  home  I  have  the  horses 
saddled  and  the  same  business  is  contin- 
ued, to  the  disgust  of  Joseph,  Roschen,  and 
Walter.  The  latter,  running  up-hill,  is  not 
afraid  of  anything,  but  down-hill  he  some- 
times lets  his  four  hoofs  take  root  and  de- 
clares with  resigned  silence,  it  is  impossible. 
There  are,  indeed,  very  thick  beeches  here, 
also  beams  and  blocks,  deserts,  reservations, 
pools,  moors,  heaths,  broom,  roes,  mountain- 
cocks,  impenetrable  beech  and  oak  forests, 
ready  for  felling,  and  other  things  which 
give  me  pleasure,  when  I  listen  to  the  ter- 
zetto of  pigeon,  heron,  and  glebe,  or  hear  the 
complaints  of  the  tenants  about  the  mis- 
deeds of  the  wild  sows.  How  can  I  write  you 
with  all  this?  I  was  in  Brotzen  one  evening 
to  examine  a  piece  of  woodland  there  situ- 
ated and  the  beautiful  Btilow,*  whom  I  met 
also  in  Beswitz  yesterday.  Bernhard  was  not 
so  entertaining  as  usual,  he  broods  and  cal- 

^  N6e  von  Zanthier. 

130 


APPENDIX 

culates  too  much  internally.  I  believe  I  shall 
leave  Kniephof  to  him  in  case  I  should  find 
something  here  for  sale.  But  when  I  am 
there  I  always  run  the  risk  of  rooting  into 
the  ground.  I  found  it  now  charming  again, 
only  they  never  let  me  alone,  and  I  find  so 
much  more  to  converse  about  with  the  trees 
than  with  men.  Do  come  soon,  please,  and 
let  the  boys  follow  by  themselves.  Beds,  I 
hope,  are  waiting  in  Coslin,  whence  I  wrote 
on  receipt  of  your  telegram  that  all  boxes  be 
sent  in  all  haste.  Do  not  bring  any  girls  ex- 
cept your  maid;  perhaps  you  do  not  want 
even  her.  Here  is  a  highly  recommended 
linen-girl,  who  attended  to  the  linen  at  Blu- 
menthal's  for  three  years.  The  old  man- 
servant is  also  very  useful,  and  especially  the 
cook,  and  I  have  to  keep  all  these  people  till 
St.  Michaelmas  anyhow.  So  do  not  bring 
either  Riepe  ^  or  the  girl,  unless  for  personal 
reasons.  Send  some  green  opaque  material 
for  a  dark  window-hanging,  and  to  cover  the 

'  His  chef  in  Berlin. 

131 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

inner  sides  of  glass  doors  through  which  one 
would  not  like  to  be  seen.  That  I  shall  ap- 
pear once  more  in  Berlin  before  your  arrival 
here  I  hardly  "  reckon."  Just  depict  my  con- 
dition as  being  so  run  down  that  I  could  not 
imperil  the  visible  benefit  of  the  cure  by  the 
hardship  of  this  journey,  and  come  yourself 

soon. 

Your  most  faithful 

y.  B. 

82 

Varzin,  Jidy  4,  '67. 
My  dear  Heart: 

A  shipment  of  furniture  came  yesterday 

from  Stolp,  another  one  from  Berlin  to-day, 

the  latter  comprising  the  things  of  my  old 

room.    Your  telegram,  according  to  which 

cases  were  waiting  in  Coslin,  and  which  were 

not  to  be  found  afterward,  no  doubt  referred 

to  the  glass  and  porcelain  things,  lamps,  etc., 

which  had  arrived  already  before  me  on  the 

25th,   and   therefore   the   confusion.     Beds 

(two)  have  arrived  from  Reinfeld  and  also 

132 


APPENDIX 

the  old  Frankfort  sleeping-couch.  Curtains 
are  entirely  lacking,  about  twenty-four  win- 
dows. I  ordered  bedsteads,  two  long  ones, 
in  Stolp,  and  sent  four  short  ones  back 
again.  Besides  these  are  three  and  two  sleep- 
ing-sofas and  a  few  for  the  domestics. 
What  is  wanting  we  shall  get  here.  You 
will  buy  curtains  best  there;  about  twenty 
windows  for  the  present,  quite  simple, 
light  white  summer  ones,  as  we  shall  not 
make  winter  quarters  for  the  present,  you 
know.  I  miss  my  hunting  spectacles;  please 
send  them.  It  will  be  better  if  we  do  not 
build  in  No.  76  this  year,  for  at  the  removal 
of  the  furniture  we  should  be  present,  I  sup- 
pose. The  day  after  to-morrow  I  hope  (to 
go)  to  Reinfeld. 

This  morning  I  was  surprised  in  a  wilder- 
ness near  the  Crangen  dividing  line  to  my 
thorough  astonishment  by  twenty-six,  for 
the  most  part  pretty,  young  ladies,  members 
of  a  girls'  boarding-school  kept  by  the  minis- 
ter's wife,  and  of  whose  existence  I  had  so 
133 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

far  been  ignorant.  English  and  French  girls 
among  them;  bouquets;  hurrah  in  treble 
voices  and  Prussian  air!  The  late  King's 
singing  mattress  in  Colberg  is  nothing  in 
comparison  with  them,  only  these  song- 
stresses were  not  without  charms,  and  that 
disarmed  me.  Roschen  sank  into  her  knees 
with  fright  over  this  herd  of  game  from  the 
bush.  I  am  longing  for  you  all  very  much, 
and  hope  my  own,  all  in  white,  will  be  ready 
for  traveling  on  Monday  at  least. 

My  heart's  wishes  to  the  child,  and  greet- 
ings. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

Please  send  the  Dtippel  inkstand  and  sim- 
ilar souvenirs  which  are  in  the  way  there! 

83 

Varzin,  10,  28,  '68. 

My  Love: 

I  am  so  unused  to  being  separated  from 
you  that  I  find  it  horrible  here  and  count  the 
134 


APPENDIX 

hours  till  all  of  you  get  back  again.*  Your 
telegrams  from  Coslin  and  Pasewalk  arrived 
to  my  great  joy.  Adelheid  has  gone  to  Kein- 
feld  with  Eugenia,^  father  at  least  remained. 
I  drove  with  him  and  Jenny  (very  much 
scratched)  in  rain  and  storm  to  the  irriga- 
tion meadows.  Carl  ^  rode  to  Fanny.*  Wil- 
mowski  and  the  Counselor  to-morrow.  Cor- 
dial greetings  to  the  two  Maries  and  mothers 

and  fathers. 

Your 

V.  B. 
84 

Varzin,  7, 1,  '69. 

You  were  very  wrong,  my  heart,  not  to 
have  come  along.  It  is  even  more  beautiful 
here  than  last  year;  the  weather  was  charm- 
ing, and  the  railroad  line  from  Coslin  to 
Schlawe  is  the  most  pleasant  for  the  eye 
between  Stolp  and  Guntershausen.     I  was 

*  The  family  had  gone  to  Krochlendorf  to  the  wedding  of  the 
now  Frau  von  Kotze. 

*  Friiulein  von  Reckow, 

'  Count  Bismarck-Bohlen. 

*  Nickname  of  Colonel  von  Zitzewitz-Piistow. 

135 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

here  ten  minutes  before  seven,  ran  around 
in  the  park  till  sunset,  ate  cauliflower,  wild 
ducks,  and  many  eggs;  saw  a  roebuck,  who 
was  so  bold  as  hardly  to  get  out  of  my  way, 
and  found  almost  everything  grown,  except- 
ing a  few  single  ashes.  Gretchen  throttled 
six  young  foxes,  but  in  her  excitement  also 
the  young  black  dachshund.    Mail  coach  is 

tooting;  come  soon. 

Your 

V.  B. 

It  is  nice  here  in  the  forest. 

85 
Berlin,  December  15,  '69. 
My  beloved  Heart: 

Your  telegram  of  yesterday  frightened 
me  hardly  less  than  the  first  news  in  Varzin, 
and  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  the  trusting 
mood  again  in  which  I  wrote  my  last  letter. 
The  receipt  of  a  disquieting  telegram  always 
imposes  upon  us  the  brooding  supposition 
that  the  recipient  is  meant  to  use  the  ad- 
136 


APPENDIX 

vantage  of  time  which  a  telegram  has  over 
a  letter,  for  some  hurried  action  on  his  own 
part,  as,  perhaps,  for  the  preparation  to- 
ward a  sudden  departure  or  for  the  getting 
of  further  medical  help.  Now  I  committed 
the  folly  of  asking  Busch  ^  yesterday  by  tele- 
graph whether  this  new  case  of  erysipelas  * 
seemed  dangerous  to  him  and  received  the 
usual  physicianly  answer,  cunningly  calcu- 
lated for  the  anxiety  of  relatives :  "  Mo- 
mentarily not  dangerous,  temperature  39, 
further  developments  of  the  disease  to  be 
waited  for."  If  he  only  answered,  "  So  far 
no  danger,"  I  should  go  to  bed  comforted,  but 
in  the  last  phrase  I  saw  the  preparing  for 
something  worse,  for  else  it  would  be  abso- 
lutely superfluous,  I  think.  The  result  was 
that  I  spent  a  really  bad  night  after  a  lot  of 
good  ones,  and  offended  everybody  to-day 
who  had  anything  to  do  with  me.  You  may 
read  this  now  in  comfort,  for  it  is  now  all 

*  Privy  Medicinal  Counselor  in  Bonn. 

*  Count  Herbert  had  fallen  sick  with  erysipelas. 

137 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

over  and  your  good  telegram  of  this  morning 
was  the  best  antidote  for  the  scare,  but  if 
I  or  Marie  had  telegraphed  you  this  morningj 
"  Papa  spent  a  very  bad  night,"  and  Struck 
had  sent  a  similar  despatch  of  comfort  on 
top  as  the  one  Busch  sent,  you  also  would 
have  probably  brooded  over  it,  and  such  a 
telegram,  when  one  presses  and  tears  it  to 
pieces,  has  for  nervous  people  a  lot  of  hid- 
den thorns  and  hooks  which  swell  up  in  the 
dark  of  the  night  to  horrible  instruments  of 

torture. 

V.  B. 

86 
Ems,  Thursday  (Postmark  June  2,  70). 
I  am  very  tired  from  the  drive  and  the 
visits  and  conversations  here,  but  otherwise 
I  can  not  complain,  except  about  petitions 
and  "  requests  for  audiences,"  which  pursue 
me.    We  dined  at  the  Emperor's,  with  Grand 
Duke  of  Oldenburg,  Vladimir,  Prince  Alex 
of   Hesse,   and   many   Russians   of  old  ac- 
quaintance.   I  shall  avoid  the  evening  pleas- 
138 


APPENDIX 

ures  by  going  to  bed  soon,  though  it  is  not 

eight  yet.    I  slept  very  well  from  Magdeburg 

to    Kassel,    then   watched   the   scenery   in 

memory  of  Frankfort  times.     Much  colder 

than  it  is  here  to-day,  I  am  sure,  it  can  not 

be   behind  the    Gollenberg   either,   though 

there  has  been  a  blue  sky  for  the  last  two 

hours.     Greet  the  children. 

Your 

V.  B. 

Blanquart*  telegraphed  you,  I  suppose? 

87 

Varzin,  Thursday,  June  7,  70. 
My  Heart: 

I  arrived  well;  immediately  went  around 
with  Westphal  for  two  hours;  then  ate  pike 
and  mutton,  to-day  pike  and  veal,  also  as- 
paragus of  a  quality  which  is  better  than 
the  Berlin  kind.  The  frost  has  browned  the 
young  beeches  at  the  edges  of  the  forest, 
blackened  many  oak-shrubs,  otherwise  left 

*  A  cipbrist, 

139 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

no  serious  traces  on  the  foliage.  Your 
chestnuts  are  sound,  six  or  eight  of  them 
want  new  leaves.  Your  roses  fared  worse; 
the  Americans  are  sound,  one  of  them  is  in 
bloom;  but  six  or  eight  of  the  high-stemmed 
ones  have  been,  so  far,  without  a  sign  of  life. 
In  the  field  the  rye  shows  in  spots  trifling 
shadings  of  frost,  the  potatoes,  Pomerania's 
Consolation,  seem  to  be  sound,  but  the  mead- 
ows and  the  red  clover  have  borne  out  the 
bath;  both  look  the  same  as  three  weeks  ago, 
only  with  yellow  points.  I  have  been  six 
hours  in  Selitz  to-day,  satisfied  with  fields, 
culture  of  meadows,  and  especially  with  the 
coming  up  of  the  reservations.  Then  I  ate  in 
melancholy  singleness.  While  I  was  hill- 
climbing  in  the  heat  all  my  thoughts  were 
directed  upon  Gratzer  beer;  but  we  are  out 
of  it,  also  Klette^;  Schops  my  only  solace. 
But  it  has  some  "  bock  "  in  it,  that  resists  be- 
ing used  in  quantities.  After  dinner  I  went 
through  park  and  hedges;  saw  four  deer, 

*  Berlin  beer  exporter. 

140 


APPENDIX 

three  bucks  among  them.  The  circular  road* 

is  coming  on  well,  also  all  the  red  firs;  the 

ones  that  were  hoed  are  the  strongest.    Your 

elder  plantation  in  the  white  moor  had  come 

up,  but  frozen.    The  black  ground  under  the 

bleak  pines  was  all  white  with  the  enclosed 

flower  (Blilte,  I  never  wrote  the  word,  has  it 

an  h?)  three  feet  high,  like  blooming  myrtle; 

it  is  ledum  palustre,  in  Pomeranian  Schwine- 

Pors,  also  wild  rosemary.   Accept  this  native 

nosegay  in  kindness  and  greet  the  children 

cordially. 

Your  most  faithful 

V.  B. 

I  go  to  bed  at  ten! 

88 

Fbiedrichsruh,  March  12,  72. 

We  found  Bill  here  on  our  arrival;  feel 

well  and  have  dined  with  two  Eilers^  and 

Cassel.*    Send  me  the  six  forest  charts  which 

are  lying  upon  the  small  ^tagfere,  beside  my 

^  An  arenue.        '  Head  foresters.       '  Herr  Ton  Marwitz. 

"  141 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

writing  chair  at  the  left,  up  near  the  edge. 
My  keys,  I  believe,  have  been  left  there;  my 
portfolio  is  lying  in  the  money-drawer  at  the 
right-hand  side  on  the  top,  1,000  and  a  few 
thaler  in  it;  send  me  500  of  them.  In  my 
sleepiness  this  morning  I  took  in  cash  with 
me  only  one  hard  thaler,  which  I  still  pos- 
sess. Kltlp^r  very  talkative,  but  not  incon- 
venient. Bill  will  shoot  something  to-mor- 
row, deer  or  dog.  I  shall  sleep  as  long  as  I 
can.  Health  good.  Cordial  greetings  to 
Marie  and  Herbert.  Everything  here  over- 
heated.   Good-by. 

Your 
V.  B. 


Petersburg,  May  3,  73. 

My  beloved  Heart: 

I  am  well,  as  I  telegraphed  you  before,. 

physically  better  than  in  Berlin;  I  do  not 

sleep  long,  but  well,  because  the  gall  has 

rest  and  I  get  to  bed  physically  tired.    Yes- 

142 


APPENDIX 

terday  we  had,  with  the  King's  old  luck  of 
weather,  four  warm  hours  free  from  rain, 
even  some  sunshine  during  the  parade  (your 
little  fur  coat  did  very  good  service  under 
the  greatcoat);  breakfast  at  three  o'clock 
at  the  Prince  of  Oldenburg's,  Marshalls'  ban- 
quet at  six;  gala  performance  in  the  even- 
ing; a  splendid  ballet,  "  Pharaoh's  Daugh- 
ter," with  stunning  decorations  and  many 
pretty  ballerinas.  I  fled  from  the  splendor 
and  heat  at  eleven,  and  went  to  bed  directly 
after  I  had  read  your  dear  letter.  At  eight 
I  had  finished  sleeping,  but  continued  snooz- 
ing till  ten;  ate  four  eggs,  and  after  an 
hour's  audience  with  both  emperors,  again 
much  luncheon,  almost  a  dinner,  with 
four  wines  and  four  warm  dishes.  Now 
I  wished  to  drive  to  the  Islands,  but  it 
is  raining  too  hard.  But  the  excursion 
to  Zarskoe  will  be  made  in  spite  of  all 
at  about  four.  Herbert  is  in  Moscow, 
for  which  I  asked  three  days'  furlough  for 
him  yesterday  after  the  parade.  He  will,  I 
143 


BISMARCK'S   LETTERS 

suppose,  send  you  news  from  there.  I  hope 
he  has  better  weather  than  we  here.  It  is 
not  cold,  but  wet.  I  see  many  hundreds  of 
old  acquaintances,  who  ask  much  after  you, 
and  often  cause  me  some  embarrassment.  I 
know  10,000  people  more  than  I  can  remem- 
ber, but  it  is  hard  to  tell  a  person  that  he 
belongs  to  just  those.  I  call  them  jnon  prince 
and  refer  to  our  last  meeting  in  Baden, 
whereupon  they  answer  amiably,  Non  &etait 
a  Paris  en  '67,  or  something  of  the  sort,  and 
the  following  day  I  have  forgotten  it  again, 
and  they  think  il  commence  a  haisser.  I  can't 
help  it;  memory  is  used  up,  and  as  far  as 
that  is  concerned,  they  are  right.  Otherwise 
nobody  can  be  more  kind  and  grandly  hos- 
pitable than  they  are  here  to  us.  The  King 
pleases,  as  everywhere,  yet  the  Russians 
think  he  looks  too  friendly  for  a  monarch. 
When  he  is  serious  "  he  has  a  face  like  a 
Tzar." 

I  can  not  complain  about  anything;  am 
also  politically  satisfied,  but  I  suffer  dread- 


APPENDIX 

fully  from  homesickness  for  you.  I  am  no 
longer  used  to  these  long  separations.  Now 
there  is  a  rumor  of  staying  even  longer  than 
the  7th.  Perhaps  the  Reichstag  will  storm- 
ily  ask  for  me;  but  so  far  everything  has 
gone  better  without  me.  Except  with 
Sultl;*  just  tell  him  that  I  shall  be  back 
soon,  and  greet  the  children  cordially. 

Your 

V.  B. 
Saturday:  Have  been  in  Zarskoe  to-day 
to  dinner;  received  telegram  of  Theodor's^ 
death  there.  Tell  Fritz  ^  of  my  sincere  sym- 
pathy. Your  letter  of  the  1st  received  just 
now. 

'  Black  honnd. 

*  Counts  von  Bismarck-Bohlen. 

(1) 
THE   END 


145 


A  DECIDEDLY  INTERESTING  VOLUME. 


Personal  Reminiscences  of  Prince  Bismarck. 

By  Sidney  Whitman,  Author  of  "  Imperial  Germany," 
etc.  With  Portraits.  Large  i2mo.  Cloth,  gilt  top,  uncut, 
$i.6o  net ;  postage,  i6  cents  additional. 

Mr.  Whitman's  distinction  as  a  man  of  letters,  a  student  of 
politics,  and  a  man  of  affairs  has  enabled  him  to  profit  to  the  full 
by  the  opportunities  afforded  through  his  long  friendship  with 
Bismarck.  For  many  years  he  knew  the  Iron  Chancellor,  visited 
him,  and  enjoyed  his  confidences.  The  Bismarck  literature  which 
has  been  published  in  Germany  has  necessarily  been  subjected  to 
much  revision  and  editorship  for  political  reasons.  Mr.  Whitman 
understood  the  policy,  motives,  and  views  of  Bismarck  as  explained 
by  himself,  and  his  book  affords  a  significant  and  intimate  inter, 
pretation  of  the  g^eat  statesman  from  a  wholly  personal  point  of 
view.  There  is  history  that  is  held  in  respect,  but  neglected, 
and  history  that  is  read.  Whitman's  "  Reminiscences  "  represents 
intimate  history  which  holds  the  attention  and  is  eagerly  read. 

Mr.  Whitman  first  gained  attention  as  an  authority  on  Ger- 
man affairs  by  a  book  he  wrote  in  1888,  entitled  "  Imperial 
Germany."  Translated  into  French  and  German,  it  created  a 
decided  sensation  on  the  Continent,  and  was  mentioned  two  or 
three  times  in  open  debate  in  the  German  Reichsrath.  The  chap- 
ter on  Bismarck  has  since  been  incorporated  in  some  of  the 
German  schoolbooks,  and  the  book  itself  is  used  as  a  text-book 
at  the  University  of  Oxford. 

Mr.  Whitman  made  the  acquaintance  of  Bismarck  shortly 
after  he  retired  from  office,  and  claims  that  he  is  now  the  only 
Englishman  living  who  was  in  any  sense  intimate  with  the  great 
Chancellor.  During  the  last  seven  years  of  Bismarck's  life  he 
visited  him  ten  times.  He  arrived  at  Bismarck's  home  for  the 
last  visit  a  few  hours  after  Bismarck  breathed  his  last.  Outside 
the  family  not  more  than  a  dozen  persons  saw  the  dead  statesman, 
and  of  these  Whitman  was  one. 


D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY,     NEW    YORK. 


''THE  SIBYL  OF  TRANSCENDENTALISM," 

Love-Letters  of  Margaret  Fuller.    1845-1846. 

With  an  Introduction  by  JULIA  Ward  Howe. 
To  which  are  added  the  Reminiscences  of  Ralph 
Waldo  Emerson,  Horace  Greeley,  and  Charles  T. 
Congdon.  i2mo.  Cloth,  gilt  top,  uncut  edges,  $1.35 
net;  postage,  12  cents  additional. 

"These  are  genuine  letters,  written  by  the  Sibyl  of 
New  England  transcendentalists.  They  reveal  purity  of 
thought,  beauty  of  sentiment,  sweetness  of  nature,  and 
exquisite  refinement  of  style.  They  were  written  out  of 
a  full  heart  and  mind,  and  fairly  pulsate  with  womanly 
tenderness  and  sensitiveness." — From  a  column  and  a  half 
letter  by  Isaac  N.  Ford,  the  London  correspondent  of  the 
New   York  Tribune. 

"Aside  from  interest  attaching  to  a  great  nature,  her 
letters  are  absorbing  in  their  blend  of  mental  brilliancy 
and  feminine  tenderness." — Boston  Advertiser. 

"  An  echo  of  the  life  of  a  simpler  era,  and  the  record 
of  some  of  the  moods  of  a  famous  woman,  these  letters 
are  interesting,  and  this  book  will  probably  impel  many 
persons  who  have  hitherto  known  nothing  of  Margaret 
Fuller  to  learn  more  about  her." — JVew  York  Times  Sat- 
urday Review. 

"These  Letters,  so  tardily  given  to  us,  have  within 
them  the  element  of  prolonged  life  far  more  than  any  of 
Margaret  Fuller's  other  published  works.  They  were  well 
worth  publishing,  they  are  well  worth  reading,  they  are 
well  worth  preserving." — The  Mail  and  Express. 

D,    APPLETON    AND     COMPANY,     NEW    YORK. 


,h# 


'^  '              DATE  DUE 

RFnn      Mi 

f\Y  i;  1  7 1 
lY  9     1971 

1 

1 

NAY  ?i  ^  '7' 

RECD  M 

AY  n      1973 

' 

CAYLORD 

PRINTEOINU.S>. 

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A    000  792  785     8 


